‘Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence’ is heading to North American theaters this summer for its 20th Anniversary

(Featured Image Source: © 2004 Shirow Masamune/KODANSHA・IG, ITNDDTD / GKIDS)

GKIDS has acquired the theatrical distribution rights to Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence and has announced plans to release a new 4K restoration of the film in cinemas nationwide this summer for its 20th anniversary.

“In the year 2032, the line between humans and machines has been blurred almost beyond distinction. A string of murders perpetrated by a prototype android model has drawn the attention of Public Security Section 9, a unit specializing in counter cyber-terrorism. With none of the victims’ families pressing charges, suspicions arise regarding the nature of the androids and their production company. In the course of the investigation, the almost entirely cyber-bodied agent Batou, and his still human partner Togusa embark on a journey through a technological dystopia, taking on ferocious Yakuza thugs, devious hackers, government bureaucrats, and corporate criminals to uncover the shocking truth behind the crime.”

via GKIDS

Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence was released in 2004 and directed by Mamoru Oshii, produced by Production I.G. & Studio Ghibli, and distributed by TOHO. The sequel to the original 1995 Ghost in the Shell movie, it is based on the manga series of the same name by Shirow Masamune and is set in a not-to-distant future where cybernetic body modifications and internet integration are commonplace. Follow Public Security agent Motoko Kusanagi and her team as they deal with digital threats and terrorists. As we have noted before, the series, not just the film, has been applauded for its imaginative depiction of the future, the internet, and examination of what it means to be a human and a machine.

The Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence 4K restoration will premiere in May 2024 at the Chicago Critics Film Festival before being released to theaters Nationwide this summer.

(Source: GKIDS)

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