Here's the thing about watching a movie trailer for a film that has been stirring up controversy since it was announced: Feelings range from positive anticipation to low-key dread. Does Rupert Sanders' live-action remake of Mamoru Oshii's groundbreaking anime film Ghost in the Shell look awesome? It does! It is possible to watch the brief clip without thinking it's quite weird that its lead character, played by Scarlett Johansson, was originally named Major Motoko Kusanagi before a white actress was cast in the role (and thus is now known as "The Major")? Not really—especially if you've followed the controversy during the film's production.
Ghost in the Shell is just the latest Hollywood film to help usher in a conversation about diversity, representation, and whitewashing. Did Johansson get the part because she's a great actor with a slew of box-office hits to her name? No doubt. But it also highlights a larger issue in Hollywood, and it also raises questions about why anyone thought that having a white actor play the lead role in a film based on an enormously popular Japanese manga series wouldn't hurt the film's chances with audiences.
We'll find out how people react to the film when it hits cinemas.. In the meantime, here's the first trailer:
