Scarlett Johansson Will Run Away From Dinosaurs In New Jurassic World Movie

Scarlett Johansson has found her next big franchise, and she's going to tangle with dinosaurs this time around. The "Black Widow" actor has officially entered talks to star in the new "Jurassic World" movie currently in the works at Universal Pictures. The project has been coming together very quickly behind the scenes in recent weeks. Should Johanson sign on the dotted line, it would provide some major A-list power to the proceedings.

The InSneider first reported the news a couple of weeks ago, but The Hollywood Reporter has now confirmed the development. There are currently no details on the character Johansson would be playing in the "Jurassic" universe. The indication is that this is going to be a fresh start for the franchise that could pave the way for a new trilogy. It's not yet clear if the new "Jurassic World" movie will be a full-on reboot or something that takes place elsewhere in the timeline in the aftermath of 2022's "Dominion." For the moment, it's all very vague but Universal is bullish on it, as the movie is due to hit theaters next year. So this train is barreling down the tracks.

Gareth Edwards, of "Rogue One" and "The Creator" fame, is directing the film. Originally, the studio had eyes on David Leitch ("Bullet Train") to helm the film but those talks fell through and Edwards stepped up rather quickly. The filmmaker will have his work cut out for him as he is going to have to make a giant blockbuster in a relatively short time if Universal intends to stick to the current 2025 release date.

David Koepp, who penned the script for the original "Jurassic Park" for director Steven Spielberg, is returning to write the latest "Jurassic" installment. It will be the seventh film in the franchise overall, which began in 1993 when Spielberg adapted Michael Crichton's best-selling novel for the big screen. Koepp has not been involved in the franchise for a long time, so his inclusion has raised some eyebrows.

As for Johansson, she is one of the biggest, most in-demand stars in the world. She played the role of Black Widow in the Marvel Cinematic Universe for over a decade from "Iron Man 2" all the way up through "Avengers: Endgame" (which is one of the biggest movies of all time) and 2021's "Black Widow" solo film. She also has two Oscar nominations to her name for her work in "Marriage Story" and "Jojo Rabbit," respectively. So getting her for this film is a big get, and one has to assume that other big stars will be brought in to help fill out the human cast around her.

The new "Jurassic World" movie is currently set to hit theaters on July 2, 2025.