Scarlett Johansson is set to make her directorial debut with Eleanor the Great, a heartwarming drama that will premiere at the prestigious 2025 Cannes Film Festival. The film will be featured in the Un Certain Regard section, which celebrates fresh, original storytelling. Variety first reported this exciting news.
The film tells the story of Eleanor Morgenstein, a 94-year-old woman from Florida, played by June Squibb, who travels to New York City and unexpectedly forms a bond with a 19-year-old student. The touching drama also stars Chiwetel Ejiofor, Jessica Hecht, and Erin Kellyman in key supporting roles.
Johansson, best known for her iconic roles in Lost in Translation and the Avengers films, shot the movie in early 2024, capturing scenes in renowned New York City locations such as Coney Island and Times Square. The project wrapped filming in April 2024, marking a new chapter in Johansson’s career as she steps behind the camera to tell this intimate story.
Written by Tory Kamen, Eleanor the Great features cinematography by Hélène Louvart, known for her work on Never Rarely Sometimes Always. The film is produced by Maven Screen Media and TriStar Pictures, with global distribution handled by Sony Pictures Classics.
For Johansson, this is a significant milestone in her long-standing acting career, as she joins a growing group of actors-turned-directors shaping the future of cinema. Eleanor the Great is one of several debut films set to premiere at this year’s Cannes, which runs from May 13 to 24, alongside directorial debuts from Harris Dickinson (Urchin) and other notable films by Wes Anderson, Ari Aster, and Richard Linklater.
