Latest news with #ScarlettJohansson
Time of India
an hour ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Scarlett Johansson teases progress on 'Tower of Terror' film
Actress Scarlett Johansson recently shared new details about the ongoing development of her 'Tower of Terror' film project, revealing the creative challenges behind adapting Disney's beloved theme park ride into a compelling movie narrative. Actress Scarlett Johansson recently shared new details about the ongoing development of her 'Tower of Terror' film project, revealing the creative challenges behind adapting Disney 's beloved theme park ride into a compelling movie narrative. The project, which Johansson is producing, was first announced in 2021 when Deadline confirmed that the actress would bring the spooky Disney World attraction to life. Written by Josh Cooley, the film has had a long development timeline, but Johansson is optimistic about its progress despite the difficulties involved. As per Deadline, in an interview, Johansson admitted that the project had proven more complicated than expected. "It's a hard nut to crack," she said, adding, "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 Tower of Terror ride, which opened in 1994 at Disney World, is based on The Twilight Zone TV series created by Rod Serling . The attraction revolves around five guests trapped in the eerie Hollywood Tower Hotel, who take an elevator ride that sends them into the unknown when lightning strikes the building, as per Deadline. Despite the Tower of Terror's cult status as a popular theme park experience, Johansson explained that there was limited narrative material to draw from for a feature-length film. "It doesn't have so much to dig into," Johansson said of the ride's storyline, noting that the brief plot is more suited to its thematic park experience rather than a full-length movie. She said, "That's part of the mystery of the ride," acknowledging the challenge of expanding the attraction's concept into a story that could resonate on the big screen. While the Tower of Terror ride had a 1997 film adaptation starring Kirsten Dunst , the movie, written and directed by DJ MacHale, did not share any connection with The Twilight Zone. The film followed a journalist (played by Steve Guttenberg) who investigates the mysterious disappearance of five people in 1939, a storyline loosely based on the attraction. Filmed largely at the actual ride location, the movie was Disney's first attempt to adapt one of its theme park attractions, but it received mixed reviews and never reached the same level of cultural impact as the ride itself. Johansson reflected on the challenges of adapting a ride with minimal backstory, calling the project a "blue sky" endeavour. "It's been a fun project to work on, because it's a blue sky project," she said, referring to the freedom of creating something from scratch. She added, "It has also proved to be a hard nut to crack. But, we'll crack the case of it. It's taking shape!" as quoted by Deadline.
Mint
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Mint
Scarlett Johansson teases progress on Tower of Terror film
Washington [US], June 28 (ANI): Actress Scarlett Johansson recently shared new details about the ongoing development of her 'Tower of Terror' film project, revealing the creative challenges behind adapting Disney's beloved theme park ride into a compelling movie narrative. The project, which Johansson is producing, was first announced in 2021 when Deadline confirmed that the actress would bring the spooky Disney World attraction to life. Written by Josh Cooley, the film has had a long development timeline, but Johansson is optimistic about its progress despite the difficulties involved. As per Deadline, in an interview, Johansson admitted that the project had proven more complicated than expected. "It's a hard nut to crack," she said, adding, "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 Tower of Terror ride, which opened in 1994 at Disney World, is based on The Twilight Zone TV series created by Rod Serling. The attraction revolves around five guests trapped in the eerie Hollywood Tower Hotel, who take an elevator ride that sends them into the unknown when lightning strikes the building, as per Deadline. Despite the Tower of Terror's cult status as a popular theme park experience, Johansson explained that there was limited narrative material to draw from for a feature-length film. "It doesn't have so much to dig into," Johansson said of the ride's storyline, noting that the brief plot is more suited to its thematic park experience rather than a full-length movie. She said, "That's part of the mystery of the ride," acknowledging the challenge of expanding the attraction's concept into a story that could resonate on the big screen. While the Tower of Terror ride had a 1997 film adaptation starring Kirsten Dunst, the movie, written and directed by DJ MacHale, did not share any connection with The Twilight Zone. The film followed a journalist (played by Steve Guttenberg) who investigates the mysterious disappearance of five people in 1939, a storyline loosely based on the attraction. Filmed largely at the actual ride location, the movie was Disney's first attempt to adapt one of its theme park attractions, but it received mixed reviews and never reached the same level of cultural impact as the ride itself. Johansson reflected on the challenges of adapting a ride with minimal backstory, calling the project a "blue sky" endeavour. "It's been a fun project to work on, because it's a blue sky project," she said, referring to the freedom of creating something from scratch. She added, "It has also proved to be a hard nut to crack. But, we'll crack the case of it. It's taking shape!" as quoted by Deadline. (ANI)
News.com.au
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
‘Biggest mystery' in cinematic history still unanswered
It's been more than 20 years since Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson joined forces for Sofia Coppola's award-winning film Lost in Translation. And yet, in the two decades since the movie's release, the mystery surrounding the pivotal final scene has never been revealed. Today, it remains one of the most endearing movie mysteries of all time. What did Murray's character Bob Harris whisper to Johansson's Charlotte during their final encounter? Only the co-stars, and the filmmaker herself know the answer. In the blockbuster, widely regarded as one of the best travel movies of all time, Murray plays a faded film star who forms a fleeting, intimate bond while in Tokyo with Johansson's character, a disillusioned young Yale graduate and newlywed. The film was a bona fide hit, earning $US118.7 million on a $4 million budget. It received four Oscar nominations, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Murray. Coppola ultimately took home the award for Best Original Screenplay. And yet, that final whispered line seems to be what viewers still obsess over. Over the years, film critics and movie buffs have attempted to decode the parting thoughts of Murray's character at the end of the pair's whirlwind stay in the Japanese capital. But the answer has never been divulged. The most popular guess, which a YouTuber went viral for back in 2007, is: 'I have to be leaving, but I won't let that come between us, okay?' Other stabs in the dark from cinema detectives include: 'Promise me, that the next thing you do, is go up to that man and tell him the truth.' 'I just want you to know I will never forget this okay?' 'When John [Johansson's character's husband] is ready for his next business trip, go up to that man and tell him the truth, okay?' Others on Reddit have weighed in over the years, with one commenting, 'It's supposed to be ambiguous, a private moment just between the two characters.' Another wrote: 'How people hear anything but 'tell him the truth, okay' at the end of the phrase is bizarre.' Yet another couch critic said: 'You are supposed to decide what he whispers. I don't believe it is scripted.' There were plenty of jokes, too. 'You'll become Black Widow one day,' one person quipped. Director Sofia Coppola herself weighed in on the mystery on the film's 15th anniversary, simply stating: 'That thing Bill whispers to Scarlett was never intended to be anything. 'I was going to figure out later what to say and add it in and then we never did.' Meanwhile, the co-stars have continued to enjoy the prolonged secret over the years, without actually giving it away. The Cadyshak star, now 74, appeared on The Drew Barrymore Show back in March to promote his movie Riff Raff, however wound up reminiscing about the hit romantic comedy-drama from 2003. 'Well there was a girl, she was a teenager back then her name was Scarlett Johansson back then,' the comedian told Barrymore. 'She was only 17 when she made that movie, 17 years old and it was beautiful to make the movie with the two of them [Coppola and Johansson].' The host then hit up Murray about the unforgettable whisper scene. 'I love that you guys had the confidence to leave the film on the note of mystery,' she said. 'Well that was an inspired moment, that happened in the moment, it happened in the moment,' Murray said vaguely, before adding, 'there were three of us that had the same moment.' Despite whispering in Barrymore's ear for added flair, Murray concluded by saying: 'That was a moment of seeing, 'This is going to happen and it's going to be even better because we're never going to know'.' Right … Similarly, Johansson weighed in back in 2023 around the film's 20-year anniversary. 'Oh my god, that sounds pretty profound,' the Avengers star replied when hit up by Yahoo Entertainment about the exact transcript of the infamous moment. 'Probably way more profound than what was actually said!' Listening to the internet's answer a second time, she answered less confidently: 'Maybe? I don't know about that. I give it, like, a B-minus.' Of course, Johansson declined to reveal the exact sentence. And so, the mystery lives on.
Yahoo
17 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Scarlett Johansson, Sheryl Crow, Zayn Malik Urge Congress Not to Cut Food-Assistance Programs
Scarlett Johansson, Zayn Malik, and Sheryl Crow have signed an open letter urging Congress not to decimate funding for food and medical assistance programs that help millions 'live more healthily and with dignity.' The letter, spearheaded by Feeding America, specifically addresses massive cuts to programs like Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) baked into Donald Trump's One Big Beautiful Act. The bill has already passed the House of Representatives, and it's expected to be voted on in the Senate soon. More from Rolling Stone Scarlett Johansson Responds to Viral Red Carpet Kisses With Jonathan Bailey: 'We're Friendly People' Trump Lashes Out Over Leaked Report Finding Iran Strikes Weren't Totally Effective 'The Onion' CEO on That Brutal 'New York Times' Op-Ed: 'Expect Us in Weird Places' Feeding America's letter noted that if the BBB is approved by the Senate and signed into law as is, it could take '9.5 billions of meals a year through SNAP off the table' and boot 'hundreds of thousands of people off Medicaid and into food insecurity.' The letter continues, 'This is unacceptable and wrong. It is not how people in this country treat each other when facing hard times. We call on Congress to reject cuts to these vital programs that help millions put food on their tables and provide access to health care.' The House version of the BBB, which passed in May, directly cuts $128 billion in state funding for SNAP, and could potentially trim another $92 billion through the implementation of red tape and work requirements that would knock people out of eligibility. Additionally, the nearly $880 billion in cuts to Medicaid could deprive more than 10 million Americans of health insurance and regular access to doctors. In their letter, Feeding America said that an estimated 15.5 million children and 7.2 million seniors rely on SNAP and Medicaid to 'make ends meet.' (These cuts are part of the BBB's larger efforts to cover the cost of $4.5 trillion in tax breaks, primarily for the wealthy, while more money is pumped to things like the military-industrial complex, Big Tech, immigration enforcement, and private prisons.) 'Food is a beautiful way humans show care, compassion and love to those around us,' Feeding America said. 'It's a fundamental part of the human experience and a basic right we all deserve. Ongoing high grocery costs mean food is out of reach for so many families, and many of our neighbors simply do not have enough to eat. They don't know where their next meal is coming from or if that meal will be enough to nourish and sustain them.' Along with Johansson, Malik, and Crow, the letter was signed by Matt Damon, Michelle Williams, Liev Schreiber, Kristin Chenoweth, Don Johnson, David Arquette, Connie Britton, Alan Cumming, Liza Colón-Zayas, Rosario Dawson, and Minka Kelly. Best of Rolling Stone Sly and the Family Stone: 20 Essential Songs The 50 Greatest Eminem Songs All 274 of Taylor Swift's Songs, Ranked
Newsweek
20 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
Scarlett Johannsson Offers Major Update on Disney Adaptation
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Entertainment gossip and news from Newsweek's network of contributors 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. Read More: Christopher Nolan Came Close to Directing James Bond "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 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." More Movies: 'Lilo & Stitch 2' Already On the Way from Disney 'F1' Director Teases 'Top Gun 3'
