A movie based on a ride, that itself was based on a show? Only in Hollywood folks! Snarky opening line aside, I can’t believe we’re just now seeing real movement on a blockbuster film version of Disney’s iconic Tower of Terror. It’s been almost 20 years since Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl surprised everyone by proving that a theme park ride could be turned into a critically and commercially successful motion picture. Results since then have been hit or miss, and honestly few and far between. I’m amazed that the 2000’s weren’t littered with Disney ride adaptations after ‘Pirates’ success. Tower of Terror, which comes with it’s own defined narrative and backstory, seems like it would have been the first thing the execs thought to give the big budget treatment to. I was kind of surprised to learn that they actually had adapted the ride previously, in a TV movie starring Steve “The Guut” Guttenberg and Kirsten Dunst, but that couldn’t have given the expierence the shot it deserved.
That shot is now loaded thanks to Scarlett Johansson, whose star never seems to stop climbing. ScarJo is signed on to produce and star in the film with John August having written the treatment. Not much else has been revealed at this point, and it doesn’t seem like they’ve secured a director yet, but that’s not going to keep me from being excited. Sure there’s a long Hollywood tradition of A-listers making their bank on a throwaway big studio blockbuster but since Johansson is producing as well I feel like she’ll put her considerable talent to use making a film that can satisfy on multiple levels AND ignite a new franchise (she’s conspicuously short on franchises these days after all, RIP Widow). No official comment has been released, but make sure to check in with us here for all the latest on all things Disney.
