Deadline is running with a hot scoop claiming that Scarlett Johansson  has been offered $10 million to take on the lead role in the seinen manga series, “Ghost in the Shell”. Margot Robbie was initially eyed to play the titular character, but the blonde bombshell dropped out of the negotiations to reportedly pursue a role in DC’s hotly anticipated “Suicide Squad”. Johansson’s ongoing big screen success while playing strong female heroines have placed her on the “A” list for action vixen roles. We are still waiting for Marvel to confirm a Black Widow standalone movie, but a “Ghost in the Shell” pic starring Johansson will be a nice stand-in till then. “Lucy” boosted her action movie cred and hopefully we can expect negations to be finalized soon.

Will Scarlett Johansson Accept the $10M Offer to Lead 'Ghost in the Shell'?

Will Scarlett Johansson Accept the $10M Offer to Lead ‘Ghost in the Shell’?

The animated movie of the same name released in 1995 was received with critical acclaim. Fanboys soon joined the ranks to devote themselves to the awesomeness that is the “Mobile Armored Riot Police”.

Courtesy of Rottentomatoes.com:

“In the year 2029, the world has become interconnected by a vast electronic network that permeates every aspect of life. That same network also becomes a battlefield for Tokyo’s Section Nine security force, which has been charged with apprehending the master hacker known only as the Puppet Master. Spearheading the investigation is Major Motoko Kusanagi, who — like many in her department — is a cyborg officer, far more powerful than her human appearance would suggest. And yet as the Puppet Master, who is even capable of hacking human minds, leaves a trail of victims robbed of their memories, Kusanagi ponders the very nature of her existence: is she purely an artificial construct, or is there more? What, exactly, is the “ghost” — her essence — in her cybernetic “shell”? When Section Six gets involved in the case, she is forced to confront the fact that there is more here than meets the eye, and that the Puppet Master may hold some of the answers she seeks. But little does she know that he has been seeking her as well.”

“Ghost in the Shell” was also adapted in 2004, and we’ve had the pleasure of playing several video games based on the series. “Ghost in the Shell: Arise” is the latest straight to TV production available for the animated series, with DreamWorks’ upcoming film being the first live-action feature based on Shirow’s manga series.

Any geeks out there excited for this one?