Ahead of the release of the live-action Ghost in the Shell adaptation, the original 1995 classic will hit theaters and Blu-ray. The film will have a one-night-only screening on January 25th in the UK, and Funimation will screen both the subtitled and dubbed versions on the film and February 7th and 8th. On March 7th, Lionsgate will rerelease the movie on Blu-ray in a Deluxe Collector’s Edition set, complete with Mondo artwork and Steelbook packaging.
Limited screening events have become popular
Limited screening events have become more popular in the last few years, thanks to theater chains like Alamo Drafthouse Cinema. Films like Star Wars, Blazing Saddles, Back to the Future, and the Harry Potter films have all returned to theaters to celebrate their respective franchises or honor lost stars. Given the importance of Ghost in the Shell in genre fiction, capitalizing on its popularity may help get people to theaters when the live-action version lands.
Of course, the new Ghost in the Shell has garnered its share of controversy. Scarlett Johansson’s starring role as the Major has been criticized as whitewashing. Fans will soon decide how good the effort was when the film hits theaters on March 31st.