Now that the live-action adaptation of the cult classic anime Ghost in the Shell has hit theaters, concept artists for the film Jeff Simpson and Nivanh Chanthara have released their renderings of the main character “Major” in her thermoptic suit. However the concept art features not the film’s star Scarlett Johansson but The Wolf of Wall Street and Suicide Squad star, Margot Robbie.
Before we saw Robbie bring Harley Quinn to life in Warner Bros. Suicide Squad, she was in the running to star as Major in Ghost in the Shell. Negotiations with Dreamworks eventually fell through and the studio picked up Scarlett Johansson for the role in the Rupert Sanders directed film for a reported $10 million dollars.
In the short time she was attached to the film, the artists quickly whipped up artwork using Robbie’s likeness. Now after the films release, Simpson and Chanthara have revealed their conceptual design of Margot Robbie as Major.
Simpson explained:
“I spent a tiny amount of time doing pre-production work for the new Ghost in the Shell. There were done back in 2013? 2014? When Margot Robbie was going to be the lead. Only spent a few days on it, but it was fun.”
Chanthara added:
“At this time, the project wasn’t even greenlighted and Margot Robbie was considered for the role. It was an incredible rush and one of the first time I had to produce so much in a very small period of time.”
Check out the concept art below:
Ghost in the Shell opened on March 31, 2017 to a disappointing debut of $18.7 million dollars at the box office. The film is projected to lose Paramount/Dreamworks $60 million dollars.