Scarlett Johansson expressed her long-held desire to join the Jurassic Park franchise during an interview with Vanity Fair, revealing that she spent years sending news of new films to her agents in hopes of landing a role. Her persistence has finally paid off, as she is set to star in the upcoming film, Jurassic World Rebirth, alongside Jonathan Bailey and Mahershala Ali. “I was really crazy about the [original] film, and I slept in a ‘Jurassic Park’ pup tent in my bedroom I shared with my sister for a year,” Johansson shared about her childhood enthusiasm for the series. With excitement evident in her voice, she recounted, “Anytime the trades would report a new ‘Jurassic’ movie, I would forward to my agents like, ‘Hey, I’m available.’”
During the filming of reshoots for Black Widow in 2020 at Pinewood Studio in the UK, Johansson found herself next to Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard, who were filming Jurassic World Dominion. She recalled urging her team, “Show me the sets! I want to participate!” Johansson’s determination led her to finally secure a meeting with the legendary Steven Spielberg, who directed the original Jurassic Park and its sequel, The Lost World: Jurassic Park. The two initially met to discuss various upcoming projects, but Johansson’s mind was solely focused on seizing an opportunity within the Jurassic universe.
“I hadn’t really sat with him and talked about work, and we spent hours just catching up and chatting, and then at some point, many hours into it, he was like, ‘Wait, we’re supposed to talk about Jurassic. Do I hear you’re a huge superfan?’” Johansson remembered the moment fondly. “I said, ‘It is actually true. I’m confirming. I’m a huge superfan.’” While she yearned to share that she created a ‘Jurassic Park’ tent for herself as a child, she hesitated, not wanting Spielberg to think of her as an overenthusiastic fan. “I probably should have just told him. But I was like, ‘Just be professional. Don’t seem desperate. Don’t mention the tent,’” she reflected with a hint of regret.
Now, Johansson stars in Jurassic World Rebirth as Zora Bennet, a former mercenary who leads a team of scientists on a mission to obtain dinosaur blood potentially capable of curing heart disease. In a conversation with ComicBook.com, she mentioned that she tirelessly pursued a role in the franchise for over ten years, even expressing her willingness to “die in the first five minutes.” The excitement builds as Jurassic World Rebirth is set to open nationwide on July 2, presented by Universal Pictures.
The significance of Johansson’s journey highlights not only her passion for the franchise but also the lengths she would go to fulfill a lifelong dream. Her extraordinary enthusiasm and dedication resonate with fans and reminds us all that sometimes, persistence truly can lead to amazing opportunities. With the new film around the corner, audiences eagerly await to see how Johansson’s character will unfold in this thrilling cinematic adventure.
