Scarlett Johansson says work is progressing on Just Cause, Amazon’s upcoming thriller limited series, based on John Katzenbach’s 1992 novel, in which she stars and executive produces.
“It’s coming along…it’s being written,” she told Deadline at the New York City premiere of her new movie Fly Me To The Moon. “There was a little bit of a pause during the strike so some of the development, it was like everyone – we were in a holding pattern, but we’re now writing away.”
Just Cause marks Johansson’s first major foray into television. In a very competitive situation, the project initially landed Amazon in 2022 with a straight-to-series order for Prime Video.
In the TV adaptation, the book’s male protagonist, Miami newspaper editorial writer Matt Cowart, is undergoing a gender swap, with Johansson playing the series’ female lead Madison “Madi” Cowart, a struggling reporter for a Florida newspaper sent to cover the final days of an inmate on death row.
Johannson, a two-time Oscar nominee and a Tony winner, has a personal connection to the title. At age 10, she appeared in Warner Bros.’ 1995 feature adaptation of Katzenbach’s book in only her second film role. She played the daughter of the main character, who was revamped as Harvard law professor Paul Armstrong and was played by Sean Connery.
American Fiction filmmaker Cord Jefferson and writer John Wells are co-writing the first episode and also executive producing the series. John Wells Productions is on board as a producer of the series.
Just Cause hails from writer Christy Hall (I’m Not OK With This, Daddio), Johansson’s These Pictures banner and Warner Bros. TV.
Johannson, who has been a semi-regular fixture on Saturday Night Live, also revealed to Deadline she has not been approached yet about appearing on the upcoming 50th season of SNL. When asked if we’ll be seeing her she replied, “I don’t know – you gotta ask Lorne.” So stay tuned.