Watch the First Five Minutes of Ghost in the Shell

We've been impressed with what we've seen thus far from Rupert Sanders' Ghost in the Shell.  We’ve seen the practical effects that Weta Workshop created to make those incredible robotic geisha masks that have been one of the most talked about images from the trailers. We've watched in awe at the creation of the iconic "shelling" sequence, where Scarlett Johansson's The Major is created. Pretty much every new spot boasts images and sequences that show how hard Sanders and his team have worked to honor the original magna series and Mamoru Oshii’s 1996 animated feature.

Now, Paramount Pictures has shared the first four and a half minutes of the film, which showcase the film's astonishing visual effects, some of which (like both the geisha masks and the shelling sequence) are practical effects rather than CGI. The result, at least as this opening sequence attests, is breathtaking. Note that these opening minutes are similar to what you saw in Oshii's animated feature, only they benefit from the very best of current technology. When the film opens on March 31st, we'll see just how well the rest of the film lives up to this very promising opening. 

ICYMI: watch an extended clip from #GhostintheShell from the beginning of the movie. pic.twitter.com/pk2YVOkqlL

— Paramount Pictures (@ParamountUK) March 22, 2017