'Ghost In The Shell' Live-Action Movie: Scarlett Johansson Weighs In On 'Whitewashing'

"Lucy" actress Scarlett Johansson has been the subject of controversy since she was cast as the lead in Dreamworks' upcoming live-action adaptation of "Ghost In The Shell."

It seems that hardcore fans of the original animation don't want to see the cinematic debut of their beloved franchise become "whitewashed." 

Apparently, followers of the Japanese animated series have signed a petiton demanding a recasting of the main character's role.

"The original film is set in Japan, and the major cast members are Japanese. So why would the American remake star a white actress?" reads an excerpt of the petition published by Jewish Business News. "The industry is already unfriendly to Asian actors without roles in major films being changed to exclude them. One recent survey found that in 2013, Asian characters made up only 4.4% of speaking roles in top-grossing Hollywood films."

However, Johansson confirms that the project is still pushing forward despite the public outcry

"It's happening," the "Avengers: Age of Ultron" actress said in an interview with Collider in April last year.

According to the article, production for the "Ghost In The Shell" live-action movie starts in early 2016 with "Snow White and The Huntsman" director Rupert Sanders at the helm.

Dreamworks has been developing a "Ghost In The Shell" live-action movie for over six years now. Steven Spielberg, a self-proclaimed fan of the original animation, bought the rights to the franchise in 2009 and has since made several attempts to get the project off the ground.

"Ghost In The Shell" started out as a manga in 1989 before director Mamoru Oshii turned the story into an animated feature in 1995.  The franchise has since expanded into a television series, video games and several animated features. The latest animated release, "Ghost In The Shell: A New Movie," premiered last year.

Dreamworks' "Ghost In The Shell" live-action movie releases on March 21, 2017.