Scarlett Johansson Taking Over The Jurassic World Franchise
We recently learned that Scarlett Johansson was in talks to join the upcoming Jurassic World reboot, but The Sun reported that she is also set to join the project as a producer. An insider told The Sun that director Gareth Edwards, who has since signed on to the project, was Johannsson’s “first choice to be the director.” This insider also said, “With him being her top pick, she is now far more interested in being part of the movie, and her role as an actress and producer is justifiable.”
The Original Writer Is Involved
As a producer and star of the film, Scarlett Johansson will undoubtedly have quite a bit of say in the creative vision for the project. Meanwhile, original Jurassic Park director Steven Spielberg is on board as an executive producer through his Amblin Entertainment banner, while Frank Marshall and Patrick Crowley are on board as producers through Kennedy-Marshall. David Koepp, who penned Jurassic Park and The Lost World: Jurassic Park, is returning to write the screenplay for this new Jurassic World film.
None Of The Cast Are Returning
Gareth Edwards stepped in to replace David Leitch after negotiations for Leitch to direct fell through. This seems to have worked out for the best since Edwards is reportedly Johansson’s “first choice.” Reports indicate that the new Scarlett Johansson film will be a soft reboot of sorts that doesn’t include previous Jurassic World stars Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard. It also seems that the OG Jurassic Park actors Sam Neill, Laura Dern, and Jeff Goldblum won’t be returning for the film either.
Another Major Franchise For Johansson
Universal’s Jurassic World franchise will definitely be the biggest franchise Johansson has signed on to since her final turn in the MCU as Black Widow. Johansson was an executive producer on her final MCU project, Black Widow, and it seems like she’ll be taking those producing skills to her next franchise as well. In the meantime, Johansson will also join the Transformers franchise later this year in the animated Transformers One, which is due out on September 20.
Jurassic World’s Diminishing Returns
Fans of the Jurassic Park and Jurassic World franchises are certainly ready for a new direction, so hopefully, Scarlett Johansson and Gareth Edwards’ new vision is just what the franchise needs. After the original Jurassic Park trilogy, Universal brought back the franchise with Jurassic World in 2015, which was met with relatively positive reviews. However, this goodwill was lost on subsequent entries, Fallen Kingdom and Dominion, which were met with largely negative reviews.
Return To Greatness
Still, all of the Jurassic World films made plenty of money, so it’s not surprising that Universal is already moving forward with more films. Apparently, Universal isn’t completely unaware of the terrible reviews of Fallen Kingdom and Dominion, considering the franchise is seemingly getting a brand-new coat of paint. It’ll certainly be interesting to see if Scarlett Johansson and Gareth Edwards can bring the franchise back to the critical acclaim achieved by Spielberg’s 1993 masterpiece.
Scarlett’s Next Big Movie
While we wait for Scarlett Johansson’s Jurassic World film, make sure to check out Transformers One in September. You can also see Gareth Edwards’ most recent film, The Creator, on streaming platforms like Hulu. Stay tuned, and we’ll keep you updated as more news about this Jurassic film is released.
Source: The Sun
