Scarlett Johansson to star in Disney's Tower of Terror movie

Scarlett Johansson in Black Widow — (Image credit: Disney)

Disney returns to its never-ending well of pre-existing properties for its upcoming movie Tower of Terror. As reported by Collider, for this big-screen version of its drop tower ride, the studio joins forces again with Scarlett Johansson, fresh off Black Widow, who's set to star and produce the adaptation.

Toy Story 4 director and Inside Out writer Josh Cooley is attached at this point to pen the screenplay, although word is the studio hopes for a big-name filmmaker to direct with sources telling the outlet they plan to "aim high." Could be that's also a cute nod to the nature of the movie. For now plot details are under wraps.

The ride, officially known as The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, opened in 1994 at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Florida. As it's an official Twilight Zone attraction, it's likely Disney plans to shave off all associations with the Rod Serling brand so it can stand alone. Of course, it could potentially cross-pollinate with another existing Disney property. Johansson's Marvel connection aside, the Mouse House has plenty of options if it chooses to venture that path, although expect the story to remain PG. The "terror" of the title won't reflect any truly horrific leanings, with most Disney adaptations aiming at all-around family fun.

Of course, it could be played straight like the 1997 Steve Guttenberg adaptation, which cast the Police Academy star alongside Kirsten Dunst as an investigator reporting five people who mysteriously vanish from a hotel. This follows the ride's story, which also puts riders as guests at the Hollywood Tower hotel.

Disney's not shy of retooling its existing properties across all of its media platforms, as evidenced by the many rides transformed into movies. Pirates of the Caribbean is the most successful to date, the multi-film franchise netting the studio $4.5 billion worldwide. Up this summer is Jungle Cruise, starring Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt, also expected to kick-off another family-friendly franchise.

There's some way to go until Tower of Terror hits our screens, but plenty of shows and movies to enjoy on Disney Plus. Not sure where to start? Check our list of the best shows on Disney Plus to find your next favorite series.

Gem Seddon is a freelance writer working to keep all of you updated on all of the latest and greatest movies and shows on streaming platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime. Outside of entertainment journalism, Gem can frequently be found writing about the alternative health and wellness industry, and obsessing over all things Aliens and Terminator on Twitter.