The Major is discovering her true cyborg origins in the latest trailer for Ghost in the Shell. On Thursday, arresting footage from the cyberpunk thriller was released: As Scarlett Johansson’s character has her face taken off, she discovers the truth about how she came to inhabit her own particular body.
In the continuity of previous iterations of Ghost in the Shell, the Major (Johansson) becomes a cyborg because her brain is placed in an artificial body to save her from a deadly childhood accident. While it’s been known for a while, the new film adaptation of the beloved anime and manga series seems to be putting a wrinkle in that origin story. The idea that the Major’s life was “stolen” from her makes her motivations to combat hackers a little more personal. But, having your face removed to remind yourself you’re part-robot is almost always a drag, regardless of the reasons you become a cyborg.
Despite origin-story changes, the director of the original anime Mamoru Oshii has gone on record saying the new live-action film will “honor” the source material. In November, the director said the new film is “the most gorgeous film in the series so far.”
Ghost in the Shell hits theaters on March 31, 2017.
