Set to direct Project Artemis for Apple was Jason Bateman (Ozark), but he has since left the project. The Scarlett Johansson and Chris Evans-led film were acquired by the company in March for $100 million.
Johansson is producing with Jonathan Lia and Keenan Flynn from These Pictures. The split with Jason Bateman on Project Artemis was reported by Deadline as a mutual decision over creative differences between him and These Pictures. No bad blood seems to be in the water between the Ozark star and the film’s producers. The door is being kept open for collaboration on another project for one day in the future. No replacement for Bateman was named.
The plot is under wraps. Rose Gilroy (The Edge of Sleep) will make her writing debut with the film after acting in some smaller projects. It is reported that the film will have something to do with the space race. The film has no scheduled release date.
The film will reunite the two Avengers stars. Both Evans and Johansson had huge careers in the Marvel universe as Captain America and Black Widow between various team-up and standalone movies. They both ended their tenure with Evans in Endgame and Johansson in Black Widow.
Jason Bateman Moves Toward Other Work
As Ozark ended its run and out of a job on the Apple film, Jason Bateman has plenty of work ahead of himself. On the acting front, he will star in Clue with Ryan Reynolds. The film will be directed by Deadpool and Zombieland directors Paul Wernick and Rhett Reese. Bateman will direct Here Comes the Flood, with Simon Kinberg (Star Wars: Rebels) penning the script.
The Arrested Development star will have plenty to produce. He will produce or executive produce Family Therapy, Your Place or Mine, Florida Man, The Girls I’ve Been, and Lessons in Chemistry.
