Fans upset about 'Ghost in the Shell' casting recruit Rinko Kikuchi on Instagram
LOS ANGELES -- Sorry Paramount Pictures: Fans of Ghost in the Shell are still mad about Scarlett Johansson being cast instead of an Asian actress as the lead.
So mad, in fact, that many are utilizing Instagram to Photoshop Asian actresses into the recent still provided by the studio.
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Ghost in the Shell, based on the popular Japanese anime series of the same name, follows cyborg policewoman Major Kusanagi. It was first made into an animated movie in 1995.
The first image from the film hit the web on Thursday. And since then, it's ignited backlash and a sea of headlines over whether the casting is "whitewashing."
The whitewashing debate, however, is not new.
Backlash over this particular film first surfaced back when Johansson was cast in the live action remake.
In January of 2015, about 90,000 people signed an online petition calling on DreamWorks, which co-produced the film, to reconsider casting Johansson.
But this is also just one instance of studios casting white actors in east Asian roles. The entertainment industry is often criticized for its continued lack of diversity, which goes back to 1956's The Conqueror, which starred John Wayne as Genghis Khan.
Comedian Aziz Ansari even poked fun at racial casting bias in an episode of his Netflix series Master of None.
The debate -- and outrage -- will likely continue to grow.
Ghost in the Shell is set for release in March 2017.
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Topics Instagram
Saba was a Los Angeles-based reporter who covers all things digital entertainment, including YouTube, streaming services and digital influencers. Prior to that, she spent two years at the Los Angeles Times covering entertainment for the Calendar and Company Town sections. Saba grew up in Santa Monica and graduated from Boston University with a B.S. in journalism and B.A. in political science. When not reporting, she is usually binge watching shows online or looking for new coffee shops to frequent.
