Summary
For years,Scarlett Johanssonhas maintained a spectacular Rotten Tomatoes streak that continues to this day, with the exception of two movies from 2017. Johansson’s impressive career began in 1994, when she made her feature film debut in the movie,North.In 2003, she took on her first adult role inLost in Translation.Since then, her participation in other indie movies and her role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe have afforded her worldwide fame. These days,Scarlett Johansson’s moviesare some of the highest-grossing and most popular films to date.
Scarlett Johansson’s early Rotten Tomatoes scores are particularly hit-or-miss. It seems as though she could have a fantastic movie one year, then a completely awful one the next. For example, in 2003, Johansson released two lauded movies:Lost in Translation(95%) andGirl with a Pearl Earring(73%). However, just one year later, her score saw a steep decline withThe Perfect Score,which earned a 16%. It wasn’t until 2010 thatJohansson’s acting performancesstarted reaching incredible heights. Since then, it has only come down twice, and these drops happened to occur in the same year.
Why Did Scarlett Johansson Leave Marvel?
Scarlett Johansson’s Natasha Romanoff has always been a key MCU character, but the Black Widow star’s time in the franchise has come to an end.
Johansson Thrived From 2010 To 2016
While many actors could probably boast a positive Rotten Tomatoes streak at some point in their careers, Scarlett Johansson’s trend is particularly outstanding. From 2010 to 2016, the actress only appeared in movies with fresh scores. More specifically, during that span of years, there are no green splats to be seen. This shift started after Johansson appeared as Natasha Romanoff for the first time inIron Man 2,which earned a Certified Fresh 72%. Overall,Johansson boasts a total of 17 fresh moviesfrom 2010 to 2016. Notably, 11 of those have earned the Certified Fresh tag.
Scarlett Johansson’s Movies from 2010 to 2016
72%
86%
65%
91%
60%
80%
95%
84%
90%
87%
67%
76%
94%
Sing
71%
A major aspect of this Rotten Tomatoes trend is the fact that the Marvel Cinematic Universe started truly ramping up from 2010 to 2016, and Scarlett Johansson was a vital part of that. Of Johansson’s 17 fresh movies, five of them are Marvel movies. They includeIron Man 2, The Avengers, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Avengers: Age of Ultron, andCaptain America: Civil War.In this way,Johansson’s accomplishments paralleled Marvel’s. However, Johansson’s success shouldn’t be entirely attributed to Marvel.Johansson’s non-Marvel films, ranging from action and drama to comedy and sci-fi, also deserved the praise that they received.
Both Of Scarlett Johansson’s 2017 Movies Were Poorly Received
Ghost In The Shell & Rough Night Ruined Johansson’s Streak
Unfortunately, Johansson’s amazing Rotten Tomatoes streak was eventually broken. In 2017, the actress appeared in two poorly received films. The first wasGhost in the Shell,which earned a 42% critics' score. Reviewers said the movie did not do justice to the manga it was based on. It felt more like a superhero origin story than a thoughtful exploration of a unique character and cyberpunk world.Ghost in the Shellalso faced backlashfor Scarlett Johansson’s casting, in particular. Many felt that the actor playing Major should not be white. This controversy may have also affected this film’s success.
The second Scarlett Johansson disappointment of 2017 wasRough Night.This earned a slightly better score thanGhost in the Shell,with a 45%. The movie sees Johansson as a woman whose bachelorette party goes horribly wrong when a male stripper dies at her beach house. For the most part,Rough Nightwas criticized simply for not being funnyenough. Critics argued that, despite the star-studded cast, the script was too weak to carry this movie forward. Ultimately, this poor reaction left a second demerit on Johansson’s sterling Rotten Tomatoes resume.
Johansson’s Trend Continues On Today
Fortunately, 2017 did not completely ruin Scarlett Johansson’s Rotten Tomatoes. AfterGhost in the ShellandRough Night,almost all of Johansson’s films have been deemed freshonce again. From 2018 to 2024, the actress has appeared in a total of 12 fresh movies. Only one of these, a movie calledNorth Star,has been given a low score. Notably, this project hasn’t been widely screened yet, and its score is subject to change. This leaves Johansson with yet another incredible streak.
Scarlett Johansson is set to star in the newest untitledJurassic Parkmovie, which is slated for release in 2025.
Though Johansson’s more recent Rotten Tomatoes streak also benefits from Marvel’s success, the actress has also proved her popularity outside the superhero franchise. Movies likeJojo RabbitandMarriage Storyhave continued to show Johansson’s versatility and talent. Furthermore, Johansson’s most recent movie,Fly Me To The Moon, continues this shift. Therefore, the only thing left to wonder is whatScarlett Johanssonwill do next.
