Scarlett Johansson Tapped To Join Taika Waititi’s ‘Jojo Rabbit'
Scarlett Johansson is set to join forces with Thor: Ragnarok director Taika Waititi as she boards the filmmaker's upcoming World War II film for Fox Searchlight
Scarlett Johansson Cast In 'Jojo Rabbit'
The Rough Night actress is in the final stages of discussion about her casting in Waititi's upcoming film Jojo Rabbit, the follow-up to his Marvel blockbuster film Thor: Ragnarok.
Waititi's upcoming film is set in a Nazi-era Germany. It revolves around a 10-year-old boy in Hitler's army who discovers that his mother is hiding a 15-year-old Jewish girl in their home. Johansson will play the role of the child's mother.
The 33-year-old actress, who recently lent her voice for Wes Anderson's stop-motion animated film Isle of Dogs, is a Marvel alum like Waititi. Johansson has appeared in several films in Marvel Cinematic Universe as Natasha Romanoff otherwise known as Black Widow.
She will soon star in her character's standalone film, with Jac Schaeffer on board as the scribe.
Taika Waititi To Play Imaginary Hitler
Following the success of Thor: Ragnarok, Waititi was offered a number of films. However, the director made it very clear that Jojo Rabbit would be his next project.
At this time, he is busy shooting What We Do in the Shadows, which landed a pilot production order at FX in January. However, he already has a discussion with Johansson regarding the role.
Waititi is not only directing the film but will also be associated with the project in an acting capacity. The New Zealand-born filmmaker will play the role of an imaginary Hitler, whom the 10-year-old German boy turns to after being severely injured by a grenade at Hitler's youth camp.
"The boy's imaginary friend is a version of Hitler that is far removed from reality, with Waititi describing him as "goofy" and "charming" while "[gliding] through life with a child- like naivety," reads the film's logline.
The imaginary Hitler in the film will be the creation of a boy who misses his father and a combination of his father and the notorious dictator.
"It's my version of... a lonely boy's best version of his hero, which is really his dad," Waititi revealed earlier this month.
Waititi penned the script for the movie and also serve as producer alongside Carthew Neal and Chelsea Winstanley.
Filming is expected to start in May and this means, Jojo Rabbit could be ready by the end of the year.
