Knowing your audience doesn’t just apply to crafting a 2025 movie schedule blockbuster like this July’s Jurassic World Rebirth. Using that knowledge when it comes to crafting a new chapter in a legacy franchise can also help, as that affinity can lead to some fantastic places. Jurassic Park superfan Scarlett Johansson certainly knows that, as her casting in the sixth sequel to that landmark blockbuster was a dream come true - and even executive producer Steven Spielberg knew it.
Chatting with EW, Rebirth director Gareth Edwards recalled the day where he sat with the OG Jurassic director and others, dreaming up who should play the picture’s lead. Ever the wise shepherd of cinema, and knowing the actress' love of his 1993 classic, Spielberg was reported to arrive at this conclusion, in this story from Edwards:
It felt like at least one of them was going to be an A-lister. There were your obvious names floating around, and then at one point, Steven said, 'Well, if we don't give it to Scarlett, she's going to kill me because she's been pursuing a Jurassic film for ages.' My eyes lit up.
Clearly Gareth Edwards was also a fan of hiring Scarlett Johansson to play Zora Bennett, the mission specialist leading Jurassic World Rebirth’s journey into danger. And why wouldn’t he be? Even without her love for all things Jurassic, Johansson’s experience as an action lead throughout her Marvel movie arc have given her a formidable resume for stunt driven spectacle.
That thinking has already paid off in Jurassic World Rebirth’s trailer, as we’ve seen the Black Widow lead as a commanding presence with a dry sense of humor. As a fellow fan of these treks involving prehistoric creatures in the wild, I feel like I can say with authority that this is a definitive lead in the history of Jurassic stories.
Amping up the excitement of casting Scarlett Johansson as the lead of a Jurassic World sequel is the fact that it’s been written by Jurassic Park scribe David Koepp. I could imagine her dropping the script onto her table after reading the cover page with his name, still wondering how she got to this point.
I can also see Colin Jost sitting in the living room as she read Rebirth’s T-Rex rafting scene, being startled by Ms. Johansson gasping and half screaming “They did the raft scene!” At least, that’s what I’d probably do if I was in her situation; right down to apologizing to Mr. Jost for the potential good natured arm punches I'd deliver in celebration.
Which is why July 2nd’s release date for Jurassic World Rebirth is something that I’ve excitedly marked down on my own calendar. Especially because Rebirth’s 4DX preview has only sweetened the pot for me to count those days rather eagerly.
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