Report: 'Jurassic World 4' Lead Actor Finally Confirmed (With a Big Twist)

Jurassic World 4 (2025) is already shaping up to be a massive blockbuster beast. While plot details are naturally being kept behind ten-foot-high electrified fences (they’ll get out eventually), the last few weeks have seen some exciting casting news come to light.

Last month, it was reported that Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) star Scarlett Johansson was in talks with Universal Pictures to star. The film is being directed by Gareth Edwards (Monsters, Godzilla 2014, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, The Creator).

(Front): Scarlett Johansson in 'Lucy' (Background): The Jurassic Park gates at Universal Studios — Credit: Inside the Magic

Marvel Star Reportedly Takes on Jurassic World 4

Now, British tabloid The Sun reports that the Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow actress will produce and star in Jurassic World 4. This means she’ll be following fellow Hollywood icon Margot Robbie, who produced and starred in last year’s box office sensation Barbie (although it should be noted that Universal Pictures is yet to confirm this news).

While her role is unknown, Johansson will be the second Marvel actor to lead the Jurassic franchise, following Chris Pratt, who played raptor expert Owen Grady in Jurassic World (2015), Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018), and Jurassic World Dominion (2022).

Owen Grady (Chris Pratt) with Beta the raptor on his back in 'Jurassic World Dominion' — Credit: Universal Studios

Pratt was relatively unknown when Jurassic World was released in 2015, having only made his MCU debut the year prior as Peter Quill/Star-Lord in Guardians of the Galaxy (2014). But, assuming the report is true, Johansson will enter the franchise as a megastar, having appeared in several MCU movies. It’s no wonder she has enough influence to secure herself a position as a producer.

In fact, she reportedly had a say in the film’s director, as a movie insider told The Sun:

“Scarlett [Johansson] has been in talks with the studio [Universal Pictures] for months and made it clear that Gareth [Edwards] was her first choice to be the director. He wanted a big fee but has now signed. With him being her top pick, she is now far more interested in being part of the movie, and her role as an actress and producer is justifiable.”

Credit: Inside the Magic

Gareth Edwards wasn’t Universal’s first choice. Initially, Deadpool 2 (2018) director David Leitch was in talks to helm the film, but he left the project reportedly over creative differences with the studio and the other creatives (Jurassic Park and The Lost World: Jurassic Park scribe David Koepp, Jurassic World trilogy producers Frank Marshall and Patrick Cowley, and Jurassic Park and The Lost World director Steven Spielberg as executive producer).

Other actors who are reportedly in talks with Universal are Dev Patel (Slumdog Millionaire, Monkey Man), Jonathan Bailey (Bridgerton, Wicked), and Colman Domingo (Fear the Walking Dead, The Color Purple).

(L to R) Ian Malcolm, Alan Grant, Ellie Sattler, Claire Dearing, Owen Grady, Maisie Lockwood, and Kayla Watts in 'Jurassic World Dominion' — Credit: Universal Studios

No actors from the previous movies — such as Sam Neill (Alan Grant), Laura Dern (Ellie Sattler), Jeff Goldblum (Ian Malcolm), Bryce Dallas Howard (Claire Dearing), and Chris Pratt (Owen Grady) — are expected to return.

However, their characters may return in some shape or form, especially with two other sequels in development: the action-adventure video game Jurassic Park: Survival (TBA), which acts as a direct sequel to the 1993 film, and the animated series Jurassic World: Chaos Theory (2024), which is set between Fallen Kingdom and Dominion.

Jurassic World 4 will be released in theaters on July 2, 2025.

Are you excited about the possibility of seeing Scarlett Johansson joining Jurassic World 4? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!