Hollywood's awful movie pitches get a rebuke from Scarlett Johansson: "Who You're Making This For"
In a candid interview, Scarlett Johansson pushed back on some studio movie offers—and teased a response to Hollywood pitches that sounds a lot harsher than you’d expect.
On the press tour for Paper Tiger, Scarlett Johansson said some recent studio pitches didn’t just miss the mark — they made her question why the movie should exist at all. In a Los Angeles Times interview, she described weighing every offer against a simple test: will anyone actually want to watch this?
“I don’t think you should make this. I don’t know who you’re making this for.”
“It seems irresponsible to make this.”
Johansson didn’t name the projects that drew those reactions, but she framed audience connection as the filter she still uses after two decades of navigating blockbusters and indies alike.
Inside the movie
Set in 1986 Queens, Paper Tiger centers on the Pearl family, whose seemingly smart business play spirals into a run‑in with the Russian mob. James Gray writes and directs, trading superheroes for a street‑level crime story where money troubles turn dangerous fast.
- Miles Teller — Irwin, an engineer hustling to secure his family’s future
- Adam Driver — Gary, Irwin’s brother, a former cop with a “can’t-miss” scheme tied to Brooklyn’s polluted Gowanus Canal
- Scarlett Johansson — Hester, Irwin’s wife, shielding their two boys while hiding a frightening medical diagnosis
- Gavin Goudey — one of the Pearls’ sons
- Roman Engel — the other son
The film premiered in competition at the Cannes Film Festival, with Neon handling North American distribution. It’s rated R for language and some violence, and opens in select theaters November 13 before expanding nationwide November 20.