Scarlett Johansson has confirmed she’s trading her Black Widow suit for a stint in Jurassic World. The announcement comes as Universal Pictures aims to reinvigorate the dinosaur-centric saga following the conclusion of the Jurassic World trilogy in 2022.
Speaking to Comicbook during a press event for her upcoming film Fly Me to the Moon, Johansson shared her excitement about joining the Jurassic universe. When asked what drew her to the project, she responded, “Everything.” The actress, best known for her role as Black Widow in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, expressed her long-standing admiration for the franchise, stating, “I’m an enormous Jurassic Park fan. It’s one of the first films I remember seeing in the theater. I remember seeing it so vividly. It was like life-changing. It was mind-blowing. I cannot express how excited I am.”
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Johansson’s casting in the yet-untitled Jurassic World sequel represents a fresh direction for the franchise. The film, tentatively referred to as Jurassic World 4, will not feature the cast from the previous Jurassic World trilogy or the original Jurassic Park films. Instead, it aims to offer a new perspective on the dinosaur-filled world.
One of the most intriguing aspects of this new project is the return of David Koepp as the screenwriter. Koepp, who penned the original Jurassic Park screenplay in 1993 and its 1997 sequel, The Lost World: Jurassic Park, is returning to the franchise after nearly three decades. His involvement has caused considerable excitement, with Johansson praising the script’s quality. “The script is so incredible,” she said. “David Koepp wrote it. He returned after like 30 years to write the script. He’s so passionate about it, which is so awesome.”
The decision to reboot the Jurassic franchise comes after the Jurassic World trilogy’s financial success but declining critical reception. While all three films in the trilogy – Jurassic World (2015), Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018), and Jurassic World: Dominion (2022) – crossed the billion-dollar mark at the global box office, each subsequent film saw a decrease in both revenue and critical acclaim.
Johansson’s inclusion in the cast is not just a win for the franchise but also the realization of a long-held dream for the actress. She revealed that she had been actively pursuing a role in the Jurassic universe for over a decade. “I’ve been trying to get into this franchise in any possible way for over 10 years,” Johansson admitted. “I’m like, ‘I’ll die in the first five minutes! I can get eaten by whatever! I’ll do the craft service!’ I’ll do anything for it. The fact that it’s happened in this way at this time just is actually unbelievable. I can’t believe it.” The actress added, “I’m such an enormous fan of the franchise and huge nerd for it. I’m just like, I can’t even, I’m pinching myself.”
The upcoming Jurassic film will be directed by Gareth Edwards, known for his work on Godzilla and The Creator. Steven Spielberg remains involved as an executive producer through Amblin Entertainment, alongside Frank Marshall and Patrick Crowley through Kennedy-Marshall, per Deadline. Johansson will be joined by an impressive ensemble cast, including Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, Mahershala Ali, Jonathan Bailey, Rupert Friend, and Luna Blaise.
