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Hollywood casting is a game of timing, luck, and sometimes contractual obligations. Even the biggest stars have stories of roles that slipped through their fingers or parts they passed on that became massive hits. Scarlett Johansson, one of the most beautiful and bankable actresses in Hollywood and the star behind the iconic Black Widow, has her own collection of fascinating casting what-ifs. From roles she desperately wanted but lost to other actresses, to parts she turned down that became career-defining for someone else, Johansson’s career could have looked completely different with just a few different decisions. These are the stories of the roads not taken, the auditions that didn’t work out, and the scheduling conflicts that changed everything. Let’s explore the alternate timeline where different actresses inhabited some of cinema’s most memorable roles.
Emily Blunt Was Contractually Forced to Skip Black Widow (Which Went to Scarlett Johansson)
Before Scarlett Johansson became synonymous with Black Widow, Emily Blunt was actually Marvel’s first choice for the role in Iron Man 2. Blunt was cast and ready to slip into the leather catsuit, but fate had other plans. The British actress had signed an optional picture deal with 20th Century Fox after her breakout role in The Devil Wears Prada, and the studio exercised their right to call her in for another film. That film was Gulliver’s Travels with Jack Black, a movie Blunt has openly admitted she didn’t want to make. The scheduling conflict made it impossible for Marvel to wait, and Blunt had to drop out. She later called the situation “a heartbreaker,” explaining that she takes pride in the decisions she makes about her career, but this choice was completely out of her hands. Johansson stepped in and the rest is history, with Black Widow becoming one of the MCU’s most beloved characters across nine films. While Blunt went on to have a stellar career with films like Edge of Tomorrow and A Quiet Place, she’s admitted the lost Marvel opportunity still stings a bit, even if she believes “the best girl got it.”
Scarlett Johansson Lost Gravity to Sandra Bullock and Questioned Her Career
In what Johansson has called one of the most frustrating rejections of her career, she auditioned for the lead role in Alfonso Cuarón’s 2013 space thriller Gravity. She even went through an extensive screen test, sitting in a chair wearing a full space suit and helmet, pretending to float in zero gravity. Despite a strong audition, the role went to Sandra Bullock, who would go on to earn an Oscar nomination and help the film gross over $720 million worldwide. For Johansson, losing Gravity came at a particularly vulnerable time. She had also initially lost out on Black Widow in Iron Man 2 before Emily Blunt dropped out, and the double rejection hit hard. “I felt really frustrated and hopeless,” she told Variety. “It was sort of the straw that broke the camel’s back.” She questioned whether she was doing the right job and found the work she was being offered deeply unfulfilling, mostly typecast as a bombshell after Lost in Translation. Fortunately, when Blunt couldn’t do Iron Man 2, Johansson got her big break and her career trajectory changed completely. But Gravity remains the one that got away.
Scarlett Johansson Was “Too Sexy” for The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Which Went to Rooney Mara)
Director David Fincher had one of the most exhaustive casting processes in recent memory for his 2011 adaptation of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, auditioning actresses from around the world for the role of hacker Lisbeth Salander. Scarlett Johansson was among the contenders and delivered what Fincher himself called “a great audition.” However, he ultimately decided she wasn’t right for the part, telling Vogue that “the thing with Scarlett is, you can’t wait for her to take her clothes off.” What Fincher meant was that Johansson’s natural allure and sex appeal would work against the character of Lisbeth, who is supposed to be unconventional, damaged, and deliberately unglamorous. He compared the ideal Lisbeth to E.T., explaining that the character should initially seem off-putting before audiences fall in love with her. Johansson later clarified to Howard Stern that Fincher told her the role required someone who could be “totally uncaring” about their appearance, and when she insisted she could do that, he simply replied, “No you can’t.” The role went to Rooney Mara, who underwent a dramatic physical transformation and earned an Oscar nomination. Johansson has said she “really, really wanted that film” because she felt she had something to contribute to it, making this rejection particularly painful.
Scarlett Johansson Dropped Mission: Impossible III Due to Delays (Keri Russell Got the Role)
In one of the more complicated production histories in Hollywood, Mission: Impossible III went through multiple directors and extensive rewrites before finally making it to screen in 2006. Scarlett Johansson was cast early in the process under director Joe Carnahan’s vision for the film, joining other big names like Kenneth Branagh and Carrie-Anne Moss. When Carnahan left the project due to creative differences and J.J. Abrams took over, the script was completely rewritten and production was delayed by over a year. Johansson had already begun extensive training for the action-heavy role, but the delays meant she had other commitments and couldn’t wait around. She dropped out in May 2005, and the role eventually went to Keri Russell, who played IMF agent Lindsey Farris and reunited with Abrams after they had worked together on the TV series Felicity. It’s unclear whether Johansson’s character was rewritten, recast, or simply replaced with a different role altogether when the film was reshaped. Interestingly, this wasn’t the only actress interested in the part. Lindsay Lohan also met with Abrams about playing the role, but Russell ultimately landed it. The film went on to be a box office success, and Russell’s character had a memorable tragic arc in the story.
Scarlett Johansson Turned Down Playing Marilyn Monroe in My Week with Marilyn (Michelle Williams Got It)
Despite being offered numerous scripts to play Marilyn Monroe throughout her career, Scarlett Johansson consistently declined them all, including the role that would eventually earn Michelle Williams an Oscar nomination in My Week with Marilyn. Johansson has been candid about being typecast as a bombshell after her breakout in Lost in Translation, revealing that she was “offered every Marilyn Monroe script ever” during a particularly frustrating period in her career. She told Variety that she felt cornered by this pigeonhole and struggled to break free from playing “the other woman” and “the object of desire.” Johansson said she had no interest in playing Monroe, likely because she didn’t want to further cement that blonde bombshell image. Michelle Williams took the role and delivered a critically acclaimed, transformative performance in the 2011 film, which explored Monroe’s time in England during the filming of The Prince and the Showgirl. Williams’ delicate, vulnerable portrayal earned her a Golden Globe and an Academy Award nomination. While Johansson may have passed on what became a prestige project, her decision was part of a larger effort to diversify her roles and escape typecasting, a strategy that ultimately led to more complex parts in films like Under the Skin and Her.
Scarlett Johansson Turned Down The Great Gatsby Due to Scheduling (Carey Mulligan Got Daisy)
When Baz Luhrmann was casting his lavish 2013 adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, Scarlett Johansson was reportedly in contention for the coveted role of Daisy Buchanan, the beautiful and elusive object of Jay Gatsby’s obsession. However, Johansson had to pass on the role due to scheduling conflicts with the Cameron Crowe film We Bought a Zoo, in which she played a zookeeper opposite Matt Damon. The role of Daisy went to British actress Carey Mulligan, who brought a breathy, fragile quality to the complex character caught between her husband Tom Buchanan and her former lover Gatsby. Mulligan starred opposite Leonardo DiCaprio in the visually stunning film, which grossed over $350 million worldwide. While The Great Gatsby became a major box office hit and showcased Luhrmann’s signature maximalist style, We Bought a Zoo was a modest success that earned generally positive reviews. In hindsight, Daisy Buchanan would have been an interesting addition to Johansson’s filmography, as the role combines the beauty and allure she was often cast for with deeper layers of disillusionment and moral ambiguity. Mulligan’s performance was generally well-received, though some critics felt the film’s spectacle overshadowed the characters’ emotional complexity.
Scarlett Johansson Lost Les Misérables to Anne Hathaway After Auditioning with Laryngitis
In one of the more unfortunate timing issues in audition history, Scarlett Johansson tried out for the role of Fantine in Tom Hooper’s 2012 musical adaptation of Les Misérables. The role required singing the show’s most famous number, “I Dreamed a Dream,” a moment that would become the emotional centerpiece of the film. However, Johansson had the misfortune of auditioning while suffering from laryngitis, which severely impacted her vocal performance. Anne Hathaway ultimately won the role and delivered a raw, devastating performance that earned her an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. Hathaway’s rendition of “I Dreamed a Dream,” filmed in one continuous close-up take, became one of the most talked-about moments in the film. While Johansson has musical experience (she released two albums, including one of Tom Waits covers), losing this role due to illness must have been particularly frustrating. Les Misérables went on to gross over $440 million worldwide and received eight Oscar nominations, winning three. Hathaway’s transformation for the role, including cutting her hair on camera and losing significant weight, showed the level of commitment the part required. It remains one of those tantalizing what-ifs: what might Johansson’s Fantine have looked like in better vocal health?
11-Year-Old Scarlett Johansson Lost Jumanji to Kirsten Dunst
Long before she became a Hollywood A-lister, a young Scarlett Johansson auditioned for the role of Judy Shepherd in the 1995 adventure fantasy Jumanji. At just 11 years old, Johansson was already pursuing acting seriously, but she lost the role to Kirsten Dunst, who was 13 at the time. Dunst played one of two siblings who discover the magical and dangerous board game that unleashes chaos into the real world, starring opposite Robin Williams. Jumanji became a massive hit, grossing over $260 million worldwide and becoming a beloved family film that spawned sequels and reboots decades later. While losing this role as a child may have been disappointing at the time, both actresses went on to have remarkable careers. Dunst became a teen star with the Spider-Man trilogy and earned critical acclaim for films like Melancholia and The Power of the Dog. Johansson, meanwhile, built her career gradually through indie films before breaking into blockbuster territory. It’s fascinating to imagine how different both of their trajectories might have been if young Scarlett had joined Robin Williams in the jungle instead. This early rejection shows that even superstars face countless auditions and near-misses on their way to the top.
Scarlett Johansson Was Rejected for V for Vendetta in Favor of Natalie Portman
The role of Evey Hammond in the Wachowskis’ 2005 dystopian thriller V for Vendetta was another part that Scarlett Johansson pursued but didn’t land. Evey is a young woman in a totalitarian future Britain who becomes an unlikely revolutionary after being saved by the masked vigilante V. The role ultimately went to Natalie Portman, who shaved her head on camera for one of the film’s most memorable and intense scenes. Portman brought a vulnerability and gradual strength to Evey, and her chemistry with Hugo Weaving’s masked V became central to the film’s emotional impact. V for Vendetta was both a critical and commercial success, earning praise for its political themes and stunning visuals, and it has maintained a devoted following. The film grossed over $130 million worldwide and became particularly relevant as its Guy Fawkes mask imagery was adopted by protest movements around the globe. While it’s unclear whether Johansson actively auditioned or was simply in consideration, losing this role to Portman continued a pattern during this period of her career where she was competing for similar parts with other young actresses. Both Johansson and Portman were navigating the tricky transition from child/teen actors to adult leading ladies at the time, often vying for the same complex, challenging roles.
Scarlett Johansson Lost Elizabethtown to Kirsten Dunst as a Finalist
In another near-miss with Kirsten Dunst, Scarlett Johansson was reportedly a finalist for the female lead role of Claire Colburn in Cameron Crowe’s 2005 romantic-dramedy Elizabethtown. Claire is a flight attendant who befriends and eventually falls in love with Orlando Bloom’s character, a young man returning to his Kentucky hometown after a career failure and family tragedy. Johansson made it far in the audition process but ultimately lost the part to Dunst, who brought her signature quirky charm to the free-spirited, endlessly optimistic character. The film paired Dunst with Orlando Bloom and featured a soundtrack curated by Cameron Crowe, known for his music-driven films like Almost Famous and Jerry Maguire. However, Elizabethtown received mixed reviews from critics, with some praising its emotional sincerity and others finding it overly sentimental. It was considered a disappointment after Crowe’s previous successes, grossing only $52 million worldwide against a $45 million budget. In hindsight, missing out on Elizabethtown may have been a blessing in disguise for Johansson, as 2005 was a busy year for her with releases like Match Point and The Island. Still, the fact that she was a finalist shows how close she came to working with one of Hollywood’s most respected writer-directors, and it’s another example of the competitive landscape for leading roles among actresses of that generation.
Scarlett Johansson Lost Superman’s Lois Lane to Kate Bosworth
Early in Scarlett Johansson’s career, she was in consideration for the role of Lois Lane in Bryan Singer’s 2006 film Superman Returns. This reboot of the Superman franchise was positioned as a continuation of the Christopher Reeve films and had an enormous budget of over $200 million. The role of Lois Lane, Superman’s legendary love interest and intrepid reporter, eventually went to Kate Bosworth, who was 22 at the time. Bosworth’s casting was somewhat controversial, with some critics feeling she looked too young and lacked the tough, world-weary quality that the character needed, especially since the film’s plot centered on Lois having moved on with her life and having a child after Superman’s absence. Superman Returns received mixed reviews and grossed $391 million worldwide, which was considered disappointing given its massive production and marketing costs. The film’s underperformance led Warner Bros. to eventually reboot the franchise again with Man of Steel in 2013. For Johansson, missing out on Lois Lane meant she avoided being tied to a franchise that didn’t take off as hoped, and 2006 turned out to be a strong year for her anyway with The Prestige and Scoop. This is another example of a rejection that, in retrospect, may have worked out for the best, though at the time, being in a Superman film would have been a massive career boost for any young actress.
Jennifer Lawrence Turned Down Jurassic World Rebirth (Which Went to Scarlett Johansson)
Jennifer Lawrence was offered the lead role of Zora Bennett in Jurassic World Rebirth but turned it down, opening the door for Scarlett Johansson to finally fulfill a childhood dream. Johansson had been a fan of the franchise and hoped to join it for more than a decade, even arranging a meeting with Steven Spielberg to pitch joining the cast in some capacity. When director Gareth Edwards signed on to helm the film, he learned of Johansson’s interest and immediately cast her as Zora. Lawrence’s decision to pass on the role was reportedly unsurprising given that she had shied away from big franchises after devoting years to Fox’s X-Men films and Lionsgate’s Hunger Games films. For Johansson, landing the role was a full-circle moment. She has been open about her obsession with Jurassic Park as a child, revealing that she “slept in a Jurassic Park pup tent in my bedroom” and would constantly alert her agents whenever a new film in the franchise was announced. She even joked that she’d be happy dying in the first five minutes, just to be part of it. In Rebirth, Johansson plays a skilled covert operations expert leading a dangerous mission to collect DNA samples from the three largest dinosaur specimens on Earth. The film, which released in July 2025, has become a box office success and represents Johansson’s first major franchise role since wrapping her decade-long run as Black Widow in the MCU. For Lawrence, passing on another massive franchise role suggests she’s prioritizing smaller, more personal projects over blockbuster tentpoles at this stage of her career.
Emma Stone Turned Down a Role in The Batman Part II (Which Went to Scarlett Johansson)
In a more recent casting development, Emma Stone was reportedly offered a mysterious role in Matt Reeves’ upcoming The Batman Part II, but she turned it down. The part then went to Scarlett Johansson, marking her entry into the DC universe after years of being synonymous with Marvel’s Black Widow. Details about Johansson’s character remain tightly under wraps, as is typical for high-profile superhero films, but speculation has run rampant among fans. Some sources suggest Stone’s decision may have been related to pay negotiations or scheduling conflicts, though nothing has been officially confirmed. Stone has been busy with her own projects, she is an two-time Academy Award winner. This casting swap is particularly interesting because both actresses are major Hollywood stars who have played iconic characters: Stone as Gwen Stacy in The Amazing Spider-Man films and Johansson as Black Widow in the MCU. With The Batman Part II slated for release in 2026, Johansson’s role represents a new chapter in her career as she moves beyond Marvel. The film will see Robert Pattinson return as the Dark Knight, with Sebastian Stan, possibly casted as Harvey Dent. Whether Johansson will play a villain, ally, or love interest remains one of the film’s biggest mysteries.
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