Scarlett Johansson Debuts Controversial Look in Hong Kong for “Ghost in the Shell”

The first image of Scarlett Johansson as Major Motoko Kusanagi for “Ghost in the Shell” sparked some controversy online, with fans declaring another Hollywood whitewashing incident. Now, months after the photo’s initial release, new pictures have surfaced online of the actress on set in Hong Kong.

Various outlets like Kotaku, have uploaded paparazzi-style photographs and a video of Johansson as the augmented-cybernetic human. In the images she is seen in her black wig, wearing dark jeans, a forest green tank top, with a grey jacket and black combat boots.

The sci-fi flick, directed by Rupert Sanders, will follow Johansson as special ops, one-of-a-kind human-cyborg hybrid who leads an elite task force Section 9, a counter-terrorist organization operating in a dystopian 21st century Japan. When Section 9 is faced with an enemy whose only mission is to wipe out Hanka Robotic’s advancements in cyber technology, Kusanagi is devoted to ending all dangerous criminals and extremists.

Since the unveiling of the first promotional image, the film has been criticized for casting a white actress in a role originally written as a Japanese character. The studio, nor Johansson, have spoken out about the criticism at this time.

“Ghost In The Shell” will be released in theaters on March 31, 2017.