Based on the 1995 film of the same name (as well as the Manga comic), GHOST IN THE SHELL is the latest anime adaptation in the Hollywood pipeline, with SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN's Rupert Sanders directing. Recently, it was reported that THE WOLF OF WALL STREET's Margot Robbie was up for the lead role of Motoko Kusanagi, the cyborg heroine of the series, but apparently aggresive negotiations to get her into David Ayer's just-announced SUICIDE SQUAD may have derailed her involvement and now the word is that a $10 million offer has been made to Black Widow herself, Scarlett Johansson, to take the part.

After her success as the Marvel heroine, as well as the badass in Luc Besson's summer sleeper, LUCY, Johansson has proven herself to be an action star to contend with, giving her a better payday (if she takes it) and puts her in front of a more high-profile project to help grease her career wheels. Personally, I think it's a great project for Johansson, capitalizing on the clout she's built as a strong female asskicker and gives her a little more diversity than a black jumpsuit and red in her ledger. Plus, if Marvel isn't going to give her a Black Widow standalone film, she doesn't have much choice but to pursue other opportunites for lead roles. GHOST IN THE SHELL could be just what she needs.

No word on how close she may or may not be to signing on, but the deal is sure to move along quickly. Johansson will next be seen again as Natasha Romanov/Black Widow in AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON on May 1, 2015.