Scarlett Johansson just wrapped working on a Mike Flanagan-directed sequel to The Exorcist and is gearing up to work on Matt Reeves’ The Batman Part II this summer – and now, Deadline reports that she has already lined up the project she’ll be starring in after spending some time in Gotham City. Johansson has signed on to take the lead in Scapegoat, the next film from Ari Aster.
What is Scapegoat about?
Well… we don’t know. Details are being kept tightly under wraps for the time being.
As Deadline notes, “Since the release of his hit horror pic Hereditary, Aster’s scripts always have drawn the town’s attention given how unique and original they tend to be. After spending the end of last year writing, Scapegoat became his [next project] and his top choice to star in the film was Johansson. This would be no easy task as the Oscar nominee already had lined up a very busy shooting schedule in 2026 … Sources say after reading the script, Johansson was all in on starring in the film and producers were on board for a shoot later this year to accommodate her busy schedule.“
Aster and Lars Knudsen will produce through their Square Peg banner. A24 will be distributing the film.
What else has Ari Aster made?
After spending several years making short films, including the often-referenced The Strange Thing About the Johnsons, Aster moved into the feature world with back-to-back horror hits Heredity and Midsommar.
The movies he has made since, the epic surrealist tragicomedy Beau Is Afraid and the satirical neo-Western thriller Eddington, both failed to recoup their budgets at the box office, but Aster remains a filmmaker who draws a lot of attention and interest.
Let’s see if a Scarlett Johansson-led Scapegoat can do better at the box office than Beau Is Afraid and Eddington did.
Are you a fan of the works of Ari Aster, and are you glad to hear that he’s teaming up with Scarlett Johansson for his next movie? Share your thoughts on Scapegoat by leaving a comment below. I have to admit, I haven’t attempted to watch Beau Is Afraid or Eddington yet because neither seemed appealing to me.
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