With performances spanning from critically acclaimed arthouse films to some of the biggest blockbusters on the planet, Scarlett Johansson has proven herself to be one of the 21st century’s genuine movie stars.
Before Black Widow comes out in theaters and on Disney+ Premium Access on July 9, here’s a list of Scarlett Johansson’s 10 best movies you can stream right now.
The Avengers
Black Widow was first introduced to the Marvel Cinematic Universe in Iron Man 2, but it was The Avengers that truly established Johansson’s portrayal of the character. Though the premise of watching six different superheroes team up for the first time — groundbreaking in a movie nine years ago — now seems quaint by MCU standards, The Avengers still holds up as a rollicking good time with some of the best action scenes and character dialogue in the franchise.
Directed by Joss Whedon, The Avengers stars Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Tom Hiddleston, Clark Gregg, Cobie Smulders, Stellan Skarsgård and Samuel L. Jackson. The film is streaming now on Disney+.
Avengers: Endgame
Black Widow’s storyline in Avengers: Endgame remains a subject of controversy, but however one feels about the scene on Vormir, every MCU fan had to love something in the movie. The epic three-hour conclusion to The Infinity Saga offered clever, fan service-filled payoff to a storyline 22 movies in the making and an emotionally impactful goodbye to the original Avengers team.
Directed by Joe and Anthony Russo, Avengers: Endgame stars Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man, Chris Evans as Captain America, Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner, Chris Hemsworth as Thor, Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow, Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye, Brie Larson as Captain Marvel, Paul Rudd as Ant-Man, Don Cheadle as War Machine, Karen Gillan as Nebula, Danai Gurira as Okoye and Bradley Cooper as Rocket, with Gwyneth Paltrow Pepper Potts, Jon Favreau as Happy Hogan, Benedict Wong as Wong, Tessa Thompson as Valkyrie and Josh Brolin as Thanos. The film is streaming now on Disney+.
Captain America: The Winter Soldier
The Black Widow solo movie has been long overdue, but before now, the closest thing Scarlett Johansson has had to the lead role in a Marvel movie has been her second-billed part in Captain America: The Winter Soldier. The Russo Brothers’ first film in the MCU is one of the series’ most thrilling installments, and its characterization of Steve Rogers and Natasha Romanoff has defined both characters for years to come.
Directed by Joe and Anthony Russo, Captain America: The Winter Soldier stars Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Samuel L. Jackson, Sebastian Stan, Anthony Mackie, Cobie Smulders, Frank Grillo, Emily VanCamp, Hayley Atwell and Robert Redford. The film is streaming now on Disney+.
Ghost World
Before she was an Avenger, Scarlett Johansson’s first real breakthrough role came in the form of a very different comic book movie — an adaptation of Daniel Clowes‘ indie comic Ghost World. A critical sensation that earned an Oscar nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay, this dark comedy about two alienated teenagers is absolutely a product of its time, but its combination of Gen X cynicism and empathetic characterization remains compelling.
Directed by Terry Zwigoff, Ghost World stars Thora Birch, Scarlett Johansson and Steve Buscemi. The film is streaming now on Starz.
Her
Spike Jonze’s lyrical 2013 Oscar winner Her features a serious contender for Scarlett Johansson’s best performance of all time, and she doesn’t even appear in the movie. As the bodiless A.I. Samantha, Johansson’s voice acting makes viewers understand why Joaquin Phoenix’s Theodore Twombly could fall in love with his computer system. This is a deeply strange yet moving film — romantic, hilarious, disturbing and hopeful all at the same time.
Directed by Spike Jonze, Her stars Joaquin Phoenix, Scarlett Johansson, Amy Adams, Rooney Mara, Olivia Wilde and Chris Pratt. The film is streaming now on TubiTV.
Jojo Rabbit
Taika Waititi‘s 2019 Hitler Youth comedy Jojo Rabbit was somewhat divisive among critics, but people who loved it really loved it, as evidenced by its bounty of awards including a Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar. Scarlett Johansson was arguably robbed of the Best Supporting Actress trophy; her performance as Jojo’s anti-fascist mom — the moral and emotional center of the film — was so great even those who disliked the movie praised her in it.
Written and directed by Taika Waititi, Jojo Rabbit stars Roman Griffin Davis as Jojo Betzler, Thomasin McKenzie as Elsa Korr, Taika Waititi as Adolf Hitler, Rebel Wilson as Fraulein Rahm, Stephen Merchant as Captain Deertz, Alfie Allen as Finkel, Sam Rockwell as Captain Klenzendorf and Scarlett Johansson as Rosie Betzler. The film is streaming now on Cinemax.
Lost in Translation
Lost in Translation marked a then 17-year-old Scarlett Johansson’s transition to playing adult roles. Inspired in part by writer-director Sofia Coppola’s divorce from Spike Jonze — the same divorce which Jonze would reflect on a decade later in Her — the film is an unconventional romantic dramedy in which Johansson’s college grad Charlotte and Bill Murray‘s fading movie star Bob Harris explore Tokyo together. Coppola won a Best Original Screenplay Oscar for the film and became the second woman ever nominated for Best Director.
Directed by Sofia Coppola, Lost in Translation stars Bill Murray, Scarlett Johansson, Giovanni Ribisi, Anna Farris and Fumihiro Hayashi. The film is available now for rental and digital download on Apple TV, Amazon, Google Play, YouTube, Vudu, Microsoft Store, Redbox, DirecTV and AMC on Demand.
Marriage Story
A critically acclaimed, Oscar-winning Netflix movie, Marriage Story is nonetheless perhaps most recognized in popular culture as the source of the Adam Driver wall-punching meme. The meme is funny, but the movie itself is worth remembering as well. It’s a mature drama about the messiness of divorce, elevated by outstanding performances across the board. Scarlett Johansson received her first Best Actress Oscar nomination for this film.
Directed by Noah Baumbach, Marriage Story stars Scarlett Johansson, Adam Driver, Laura Dern, Alan Alda, Ray Liotta, Julie Hagerty and Merritt Wever. The film is streaming now on Netflix.
The Prestige
The Prestige might be one of Christopher Nolan’s lesser hits in terms of the box office and critical review scores, but it’s stealthily one of his most fun movies. This Victorian-era sci-fi period piece about dueling magicians played by Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale is a twisty delight with a great cast, beautiful art design and a killer ending. The film still features Nolan’s regular weaknesses in terms of writing women, but Scarlett Johansson does her best in the role of double agent Olivia Wenscombe.
Directed by Christopher Nolan, The Prestige stars Hugh Jackman, Christian Bale, Scarlett Johansson, Michael Caine, Piper Perabo, Andy Serkis, Rebecca Hall and David Bowie. The film is available now for rental and digital download on Amazon, Google Play, YouTube, Vudu, Microsoft Store and AMC on Demand.
Under the Skin
If you ever wanted to see Scarlett Johansson star in a sci-fi film with similar themes to Ghost in the Shell but don’t want to watch the mediocre, whitewashed live-action Ghost in the Shell movie, check out Under the Skin. Its storytelling is unconventional and abstract, but it’s filled with visually stunning scenes of terror (cited as an influence on Stranger Things), and Johansson makes her mysterious man-killing alien character surprisingly emotionally compelling.
Directed by Jonathan Glazer, Under the Skin stars Scarlett Johansson. The film is streaming now on Showtime, Hoopla, Kanopy and FuboTV.
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