Scarlett Johansson gets ready to take on another nerd icon. But not without controversy.

After many starts and stops, the live-action Ghost in the Shell movie has officially begun production, and Paramount has revealed the first image, shown above.

The film is not already without controversy, however. Scarlett Johansson (The Avengers) is starting in the lead of the adaptation of the beloved Japanese anime and manga, causing some early outrage and claims of whitewashing.

It’s an understandable concern. Her character, The Major, typically has the last name of Kusanagi - a last name not mentioned in the press release - and in turn, you’d assume an Asian, if not Japanese, actress would be headlining the film. Not the clearly Caucasian Johansson.

It’s a sticky situation, for sure. It’s awesome to see a major action film headlined by a woman, but in that same regard, it’s a shame to see the racial concerns wiped away. At the same time: why do I feel so sure that if it weren’t for Johansson as lead, the movie would not have been green-lit, let alone with (presumably) a major budget?

Things to ponder as the film gets closer.

Here’s the full press release:

The film, which is based on the famous Kodansha Comics manga series of the same name, written and illustrated by Masamune Shirow, is produced by Avi Arad (“THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 1 & 2,“ “IRON MAN"), Ari Arad (“GHOST RIDER: SPIRIT OF VENGEANCE"), and Steven Paul (“GHOST RIDER: SPIRIT OF VENGEANCE"). Michael Costigan (“PROMETHEUS"), Tetsu Fujimura (“TEKKEN"), Mitsuhisa Ishikawa, whose animation studio Production I.G produced the Japanese “GHOST IN THE SHELL" film and television series, and Jeffrey Silver (“EDGE OF TOMORROW,“ “300") will executive produce.

Based on the internationally-acclaimed sci-fi property, “GHOST IN THE SHELL" follows the Major, a special ops, one-of-a-kind human-cyborg hybrid, who leads the elite task force Section 9. Devoted to stopping the most dangerous criminals and extremists, Section 9 is faced with an enemy whose singular goal is to wipe out Hanka Robotic’s advancements in cyber technology.

“We are so pleased to be in Wellington to shoot GHOST IN THE SHELL,’“ said producers Avi Arad, Ari Arad, Michael Costigan and Jeffrey Silver. “The city boasts state-of-the-art production facilities and a rich urban landscape that make it an ideal setting for a sci-fi action film. The crew-base in New Zealand working on the film is first class, and working with Sir Richard Taylor and the team at Weta Workshop is inspirational on every level. The people of New Zealand have been terrific partners in helping us bring this story and its beloved characters to audiences around the world and we are thankful for their continued hospitality.“

Ghost in the Shell is set for a March 31, 2017 release.