Scarlett Johansson will lead and executive produce “Just Cause,” the limited TV adaptation of John Katzenbach’s 1992 novel of the same name. The thriller series, which got a straight-to-series order at Prime Video from Amazon Studios, hails from Warner Bros. Television and the actress’s These Pictures Banner, as well as marks the Marvel star’s first major TV project.
Netflix’s “I Am Not Okay With This” creator Christy Hall will be writing. Hall is best known for developing, showrunning and executive producing the one-season dramedy starring Sophia Lillis. She has also served as a consulting producer on Apple’s “Servant” and an upcoming Apple project from Damien Chazelle.
Along with Johansson, Jonathan Lia and Keenan Flynn executive produce for These Pictures. Zara Duff, who is head of TV for the production company, is overseeing production.
Johansson is best known for starring as Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, recently ending her decade-long tenure playing the character in the 2021 standalone “Black Widow” film. Next up, she’ll be in Wes Anderson’s “Asteroid City.” Her other credits include “Her,” “Lost in Translation,” “He’s Just Not That Into You” and “Jojo Rabbit” and “Marriage Story,” the latter two of which she is Oscar-nominated for. Johansson is repped by CAA and Kevin Yorn at Yorn Levine.
Katzenback’s book was previously adapted for a 1995 feature film starring Sean Connery, Laurence Fishburne, Ed Harris, Blair Underwood, Ruby Dee and Kate Capshaw. Johansson, in one of her first movie roles, played Connery’s on-screen daughter.
Originally published in 1992, “Just Cause” follows burnt-out Miami reporter Matt Cowart, who receives a letter from a death row inmate claiming innocence. According to reports, Johansson will be playing a female version of the character named Madison “Madi” Cowart.
Deadline first reported the news.
