Scarlett Johansson Has Been “Trying” to Join the Franchise for 15 Years

Production is underway for Jurassic World 4, the latest installment in the Jurassic franchise. The film, set to hit theaters next July, features a massive ensemble cast, including former Marvel star Scarlett Johansson. While specific details about the movie remain scarce, Johansson’s involvement is a well-known highlight. The actress has long dreamed of joining the Jurassic series, a desire she’s harbored for over a decade.

During a recent appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, where she was promoting Fly Me to the Moon, Johansson revealed her longstanding ambition. “I have been trying to get in the franchise for like 15 years, like, really to do anything at all. I mean, I would happily die immediately,” she admitted.

Johansson further elaborated on her enthusiasm, sharing that her involvement has been a dream come true. However, this excitement sometimes needed tempering on set. “So, with every single shot of the movie, I’m like this [stares in amazement]. They’re like, ‘No, fear, fear is in your eyes,'” she humorously recounted.

Her passion for the Jurassic franchise isn’t just professional; it’s deeply personal. Johansson reminisced about her childhood, highlighting a cherished memory involving a Jurassic Park tent. “You asked me what the greatest gift I ever received was, and this is the last time I was on the show. This was pre-Jurassic casting, and I said I got a tent. I asked for a Jurassic Park tent when I was like 7 years old, and I erected it in my bedroom that I shared with my sister, and I slept in it for a year on the floor,” she shared. “It was so great. Like, just, I remember, like, the velociraptors, like I remember them coming through shining through in the middle of the night, and that comforted me. And now I am in the new Jurassic movie. It is so crazy! And so, I think we manifested it.”

While plot details for the new Jurassic World movie remain under wraps, the film boasts a screenplay by original franchise writer David Koepp and direction by Gareth Edwards. Johansson joins a distinguished cast, including Jonathan Bailey, Manuel Garcia-Ruflo, Rupert Friend, Mahershala Ali, Luna Blaise, David Iacono, and Audrina Miranda.

Johansson’s love for the franchise extends beyond her current role. In a previous interview with ComicBook, she described herself as a “huge nerd” for the series. “I’m an enormous Jurassic Park fan,” Johansson told ComicBook earlier this year. “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.”

She reiterated her enthusiasm, noting how surreal her involvement feels. “I’m such an enormous fan of the franchise and huge nerd for it,” Johansson added. “I’m just like, I can’t even, I’m pinching myself. I’ve been trying to get into this franchise in any possible way for over 10 years. 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 next Jurassic World movie is scheduled to open in theaters on July 2, 2025.

Source: ComicBook