According to Variety, Oscar winner Scarlett Johansson has signed on for her first major TV project as the lead in Prime Video’s upcoming limited drama adaptation of Just Cause, based on John Katzenbach’s 1992 novel of the same name.
In addition, American Fiction director Cord Jefferson has also boarded the project to serve as its writer and executive producer. Before making his directorial debut film with American Fiction, he won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for penning an episode of HBO’s Watchmen series. For his work on the Jeffrey Wright movie, Jefferson is currently nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Picture at the upcoming Academy Awards.
What is Just Cause about?
“The adaptation follows a Miami reporter named Madison Cowart, who receives a letter from a death row inmate claiming innocence,” reads the logline. “The ensuing investigation not only casts doubt on the inmate’s guilt but also uncovers other hidden horrors.”
Besides Jefferson, Just Cause will also be co-written and executive produced by John Wells, who’s known for his work on acclaimed television shows such as ER, The West Wing, Shameless, Mildred Pierce, and Maid. The miniseries is a production by Johansson’s These Pictures banner.
Prior to the Prime Video series, Katzenbach’s novel was first adapted into a 1995 film, which was led by Sean Connery, Laurence Fishburne, and Kate Capshaw. Interestingly, it served as one of Johansson’s earliest movie appearances, in which she played the young daughter of Connery’s character.
