( CNN ) Scarlett Johansson has become the go-to woman for action movies . After major turns in movies such as `` The Avengers '' and `` Lucy , '' Variety reports that the actress won the lead role in DreamWorks ' live-action version of `` Ghost in the Shell . '' Johansson 's casting lit up social media on Monday because of the hardcore fan base from the original anime film from 1995 , which was based on a manga series . The original film is considered a cyberpunk classic . It 's about a future society where people have cyberbrains , allowing them to plug into computer networks . A police force is assigned specifically to track down hackers , including the movie 's main character , Major Motoko Kusanagi . Part science fiction , part crime drama , it has been praised for what were then advanced animation techniques . DreamWorks ' Steven Spielberg has been wanting to adapt the movie for many years , and Rupert Sanders is attached to direct .
Scarlett Johansson has been cast in adaptation of `` Ghost in the Shell , '' Variety reports . The live-action movie is to be based on a classic anime film . It would be the latest action role for Johansson after `` Avengers , '' `` Lucy ''