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Scarlett Johansson has worked with Disney for years, starring as Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow in their MCU movies. However, when it came to the 2019 filmJojo Rabbit, Johansson didn’t believe that the studio would allow for the subversive film to be released under its banner. Johansson, who played Rosie Betzler in the Taika Waititi film, was surprised that Disney execs were excited about the film.
Waititi made the film under Fox Searchlight who came under Disney after its 2019 acquisition of Fox. TheBlack Widowactress had concerns about the film coming under Disney sinceJojo Rabbitdid not conform to the ‘family-friendly’ brand of the studio.
Scarlett Johansson Was Skeptical Of Disney GreenlightingJojo Rabbit
Scarlett Johanssonplayed the role of Rosie Betzler inJojo Rabbit, a single mother in Nazi Germany who hides a Jewish girl in her attic. Johansson shared withThe Hollywood Reporterin a 2019 interview that she played a“warm, comfy character”in the film.
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Both Johansson andTaika Waititihad a great relationship with the studio at that time. TheMarriage Storyactress was a constant presence in Marvel films and Waititi had given themthe most successfulThorfilm,Thor: Ragnarok, at that point. Despite the working relationship, Johansson was almost sure that Disney would never bring outJojo Rabbit.
After the acquisition, she had a dinner meeting with Disney board members along with herAvengersco-stars. She shared with THR that the execs told her at the dinner that they were excited about her new film. Johansson wondered how that was possible since themore off-color or subversive natureof her film didn’t fit in with the Disney family. Johansson shared with THR:
The Disney execs were saying, ‘We’re excited about Jojo.’ They had just acquired it. I said, ‘How is that going to be?’ Because Searchlight’s made quite a lot of subversive films. It’s harder and harder to try to find a home for something that’s more off-color or subversive and push the limit. I thought, ‘There’s no way Disney would bring [Jojo Rabbit] out. … This doesn’t belong to that [Disney] family.’
Jojo Rabbitwas produced under Fox Searchlight, which had previously produced Oscar-winning films likeThe Shape of Water,Birdman,12 Years a Slave, andSlumdog Millionaire. The banner usually chose to produce independent and arthouse films that pushed the limits.
Disney Surprised Scarlett Johansson With Their Approach Towards Acquired Properties
Many viewers also shared Scarlett Johansson’s concerns that Disney would attempt to inject its signature brand into the acquired properties. However, Johansson got a surprising response from the execs regarding this matter. They shared that when Disney acquired a company, they allowed the company to keep its DNA and style.
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She shared that their words proved to be true because when the film went over to Disney, nothing changed. Johansson shared (via THR):
‘Whether it’s Pixar or Marvel, the most important thing is when Disney acquires a company that’s working, they let the studio continue to have their own style. The creative freedom of that studio stays, the DNA of the studio stays intact.’ Ultimately when Jojo Rabbit went over [to Disney], it didn’t make any difference, which was cool. Because I was worried that maybe it would.
Not only did the studio change a thing aboutJojo Rabbit, but Bob Iger actively promoted the film. He even held a private screening of the film as part of itsOscar campaign. The film went on to win the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for Waititi.
Jojo Rabbitis now available for streaming on FX Now and Fubo.
Hashim Asraff
Senior Writer
Articles Published :3019
Hashim Asraff is a Senior Entertainment Writer at FandomWire, with over 2,800 articles published on celebrity culture, comic book movies, and major TV franchises. With a background in Sociology and a keen interest in pop culture, Hashim brings a unique lens to breaking news stories, character deep-dives, film rankings, and fan-driven perspectives.His coverage often includes the MCU, DCU, hit network shows, and celebrity profiles, giving readers a rich blend of entertainment and analysis. A longtime fan of crime and investigative series, Hashim has watched thousands of episodes of NCIS, Criminal Minds, Law & Order: SVU, Bones, Blue Bloods, and The RookieA passionate storyteller and wordsmith, Hashim has also worked as a ghostwriter and managed multiple social media handles. He brought his writing expertise to FandomWire to also pursue his lifelong love for cinema and television.
