Whether it's in acclaimed arthouse indies, award-winning dramas, filmmaker-driven passion projects, or high-grossing action blockbusters, Scarlett Johansson has demonstrated her acting talents and her clear star power in a number of movies throughout the years, both big and small. Certainly, through her work in last year's Avengers: Endgame, Jojo Rabbit, and Marriage Story, the latter two, for which, she received Oscar nominations, the established actress proved that she's only continuing to prove herself and provide some of the most exceptional performances of her year. Marriage Story, in particular, was one of her best performances to date (in my opinion, at least). And she'll keep expanding herself with her upcoming projects.
Whether it's Marvel's Black Widow or an intriguing new take on Bride of Frankenstein from A24, Scarlett Johansson has a number of promising movies in the not-too-distant future. If you're a fan of Scarlett Johansson, here's what you can look forward to seeing the Academy Award-nominated actress in next.
Black Widow - May 7th, 2021 (Post-Production/Possibly Completed)
Frankly, Black Widow is long overdue for her own movie. Ever since her introduction in 2010's Iron Man 2, Scarlett Johansson's butt-kicking vigilante has been a standout in the ever-expanding Marvel Cinematic Universe. It was basically a given that she would get her own movie someday. Still, movie lovers needed to wait 10-plus years to see it come to fruition. But it's finally coming. Directed by Cate Shortland (Lore), Black Widow gives Natasha Romanoff her own spin-off blockbuster, where she must confront her past while on the run shortly after the events of Captain America: Civil War.
Once set to hit theaters on May 1, 2020, Black Widow's release date was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was later pushed back again from its November 6th, 2020 release date to May 7th, 2021, its current date, which puts it back at the front of the summer movie season, albeit one year later. Along with Scarlett Johansson at the front, Black Widow will also star Florence Pugh, David Harbour, Rachel Weisz, Ray Winstone, and William Hurt reprising his role as Secretary of State Thaddeus Ross.
Sing 2 - December 22nd, 2021 (Filming)
While 2016's Sing didn't seep into pop culture in quite the same way that the Despicable Me franchise, including Minions, the Dr. Seuss adaptations, or even the first Secret Life of Pets did so vigorously, the charming animated musical-comedy still made a good impression. It earned respectable notices from critics and audiences alike, and it grossed over $634 million worldwide. Therefore, an encore was expected. And now it's a little over a year away. The Illumination Entertainment sequel is currently slated to hit theaters on December 22nd, 2021.
Once again written and directed by Garth Jennings, Sing 2 finds Taron Egerton, Matthew McConaughey, Reese Witherspoon, Seth MacFarlane, Nick Kroll, Tori Kelly, and Scarlett Johansson warming up their pipes and reprising their animated animal characters from the original. Additionally, Chelsea Peretti is joining the cast in an undisclosed role. Production continued remotely during the pandemic shutdowns of Illumination Mac Guff. Therefore, it should be ready for its intended 2021 release — assuming theaters are open again by then. The plot for Sing 2 hasn't been officially announced yet.
Little Shop of Horrors - TBA (Pre-Production)
For my money, Frank Oz's 1986 musical, Little Shop of Horrors, is one of the best movie musicals out there. It's hard to imagine anyone topping its zany energy, splendid practical effects, or outstanding casting. Nevertheless, that hasn't stopped Hollywood from making a remake in the past, and that's not going to stop them this time, either. Indeed, as it has been speculated for some time now, Greg Berlanti will make a new cinematic version of the dark comedy musical, one that'll find Billy Porter providing the voice of Audrey II (which is a role he played once before during a Coral Gables production in 2003), while Taron Egerton and Scarlett Johansson are expected to play our lead lovers, Seymour and Audrey, respectively.
Granted, it's not officially a done deal for either, but it appears to be close to it for these two stars. While Taron Egerton is ultimately too conventionally handsome for the role, in my opinion (but not only mine), there's no doubt that he and Scarlett Johansson can belt out a tune. This version might not live up to the high standards of the previous film adaptation, one would hope that it's not a disappointment either. It's reportedly in pre-production now, though it seems like filmmaking efforts have been delayed amid the pandemic.
Bride - TBA (Announced)
Since her debut to the silver screen with Elsa Lanchester's outstanding performance in 1935's Bride of Frankenstein, Frankenstein's main squeeze has been an iconic silver screen presence. Alas, while her hubby and his friends have been seen time and time again in various other iterations, The Bride has unfortunately been left on the sideline, waiting to renew her presence on the big campus. Well, now, thanks to Scarlett Johansson, The Bride will get her time in the spotlight once again with Bride, a genre-bending re-imagining of the character, which Johansson will produce in addition to playing the title role.
The latest collaboration between Apple and A24, Bride will come from director Sebastián Lelio (A Fantastic Woman, Disobedience), and he'll write the screenplay alongside Lauren Schuker Blum and Rebecca Angelo. As Deadline reported, the plot will follow a woman created to be an ideal wife and the singular obsession of a brilliant entrepreneur. But when she rejects her creator, she's forced to flee her confines and enter a world that only sees her as a monster. It's an interesting reimagining of the story, to be sure. And considering that it comes from A24, one that will likely be artful and creative bold as well. This is one to look out for in Scarlett Johansson's future.
Reflective Light? - TBA (Announced)
Based on the 2014 novel, The Deepest Secret, by Carla Buckley, Reflective Light is expected to tell the story of a teenage boy suffering from a malady that makes him severely allergic to sunlight. His mother, who feels such a devoted and caring bond with her ailing son, finds herself alienated from the rest of their family. In the process, this mother and acutely-ill son forge an oddly sustainable nocturnal lifestyle for themselves — one that potentially comes at her own cost. It's an intriguing premise for a drama, which comes from Focus Features and would serve as the directorial debut of art photographer Gregory Crewdson. Crewdson and his partner, Julianne Hiam, also wrote the screenplay.
But, admittedly, there haven't been any new updates on Reflective Light since its initial announcement back in 2017. One could reasonably assume, therefore, that the light has died on this one. It was previously expected to start production in 2018, but that start date came and passed. It's unclear, therefore, if this one is still happening. But if some developments arise, we'll keep you posted here with the latest news right here at CinemaBlend.
Which Scarlett Johannson movie are you most looking forward to seeing? Be sure to let us know in the comments!
