Scarlett Johansson will produce and star in a Tower of Terror movie for Disney. Since Black Widow, releasing on July 9, marks the end of her run as Natasha Romanoff, Johansson is starting a new chapter in her career post-MCU. She already has a few projects lined up, including Sing 2, in which she reprises her role as the porcupine Ash. There are also reports Johansson will star in the Little Shop of Horrors remake from Warner Bros, though that's unconfirmed as of now.
Disney's first adaptation of its Tower of Terror ride came in 1997 in the form of a TV movie starring Steven Guttenberg and Kirsten Dunst. At the time, the film was a pioneer in its field, as it was the first Disney theme park attraction to be adapted into a movie before Pirates of the Caribbean. Jungle Cruise, Disney’s latest live-action adventure based on a theme park ride, releases this summer on July 30. Disney has been trying to develop a higher-profile adaptation of Tower of Terror for years now, with the first reports coming in 2015. Now, the project has a writer, along with a high-profile producer and star to boot.
According to a Collider exclusive, Johansson will both produce and star in Disney’s Tower of Terror movie. Josh Cooley, director of Toy Story 4 and one of the writers behind Inside Out, has been tapped to pen the screenplay. No director is officially attached to the project, but it's said Disney "will aim high." Johansson will produce Tower of Terror via her banner, These Pictures. Jonathan Lia will also serve as producer.
The popular Disney theme park ride features plenty of thrill-inducing attractions, such as a 13 story free-falling elevator drop. Though plot details for the upcoming adaptation are unknown at this time, when screenwriter John August and producer Jim Whitaker were attached to the project in 2015, the two pitched an idea involving “five people in a posh hotel take an elevator and disappear after it is hit by lightning.”
It’s currently unclear if Disney is moving forward with this idea or starting from scratch, but since this is the basic premise of the ride, Cooley will likely be working off the general concept. The Tower of Terror ride famously features components of The Twilight Zone, which will likely be incorporated into the film. Disney has been eager to make more movies based on its popular rides ever since Pirates of the Caribbean became such a massive success. Given Johansson’s dual role in the project, Tower of Terror could be the next hit for Disney.
Source: Collider