Japanese anime classic Ghost in the Shell returning to theatres this February

Anime classic Ghost in the Shell (1995) is returning to the theatres in February for a very short period of time. Lionsgate and Funimation Films have partnered together to bring back the classic anime film to big screen. It will have a two-day limited theatrical engagement.

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Having audiences entertained for more than 25 years, the Ghost in the Shell original anime movie will return on February 7 and 8 in 110 theatres across the United States. Along with the original Japanese version with subtitles, the English dubbed version will also be available for the moviegoers.

The movie first premiered in 1995 and it turned into a pop culture phenomenon very rapidly. It is the first anime film to rank No 1 on Billboard in video sales.

As there has been a huge fan following for this movie, the new live-action version of the anime film will soon release in theatre that is starring Scarlett Johanson. Directed by Rupert Sanders, the movie will hit the screen on March 31.

"We're excited to be partnering with Lionsgate to bring the original 'Ghost in the Shell' movie back to U.S. theaters. 'Ghost in the Shell' is truly a seminal work in anime cinema and it helped firmly establish a market for the genre with U.S. movie audiences," said Gen Fukunaga, CEO and founder of Funimation.

Lionsgate's VP Marketing Kevin Carney said that the movie is an iconic property and it is great that fans will be able to watch it on the big screen for the first time in 20 years. "Many fans will be seeing the movie in a theater for the first time and Funimation has been a terrific partner to help make this possible."

Directed by Mamoru Oshii and adapted from the Masamune Shirow manga, the film is considered one of the greatest anime films of all time.

Here is the official synopsis:

In the year 2029, cybernetic government agent, Major Motoko Kusanagi and the Internal Bureau of Investigations are hot on the trail of "The Puppet Master"— a mysterious and threatening computer virus that is capable of infiltrating human hosts. Working closely with her fellow agents from Section 9, the Major embarks on a high-tech race against time to capture the omnipresent entity.