Scarlett Johannsson Offers Major Update on Disney Adaptation

Newsweek

2 days ago

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It's been almost four years since the film "Tower of Terror", based on the popular Disney ride, was announced and there have been very few updates about it. Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, "Jurassic World Rebirth" star Scarlett Johansson finally has some updates on how things are going.
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"It's a hard nut to crack," Johansson said. "Harder than you think, because the ride itself, there's some lore to it, but it's... I don't want to say thin, but it is, kind of!"
The story of the "Tower of Terror" is set in Rod Serling's classic "Twilight Zone". It has to do with five people who are transported to the "Twilight Zone" universe when they board an elevator in the tower after it's struck by lightning.
Scarlett Johansson attends the "Jurassic World Rebirth" New York Premiere at Lincoln Center on June 23, 2025 in New York City.
Scarlett Johansson attends the "Jurassic World Rebirth" New York Premiere at Lincoln Center on June 23, 2025 in New York City.Johansson went on to say the ride's story "doesn't have so much to dig into."
"That's part of the mystery of the ride. It's been a fun project to work on, because it's a blue sky project," Johansson said. "It has also proved to be a hard nut to crack. But we'll crack the case of it. It's taking shape!"
It's no secret why Disney is motivated to "crack" this particular "nut." As "thin" as the story of the ride may or may not be, Disney films based on the park rides are not bad investments.
All told, the "Pirates of the Caribbean" films have made over $4.5 billion at the box office. Even 2021's "Jungle Cruise" performed well considering it came out during the COVID pandemic. There are outliers, of course, like 2023's "Haunted Mansion," which flopped badly.
When the "Tower of Terror" film finally sees the light of day, it won't be the first time. In 1997 Steve Guttenberg and Kirsten Dunst starred in a "Tower of Terror" made-for-TV movie. However, any connection to "Twilight Zone" was left out of the story.
The original Tower of Terror stands over 199 feet tall at Disney World, and different versions of the tower have appeared at parks all over the world.
It's so beloved that when rumors spread the original would be revamped, pop star Ariana Grande made a request on the "Las Culturistas" podcast that Disney leave it as it is.
"Please allow the iconic and tremendous Tower of Terror to stand tall, permanently in the name of historical preservation, spooky honor, and good, old-fashioned fun," Grande said. "I hope that you'll consider this humble plea from a passionate fan."
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