It’s been quite some time since Scarlett Johansson’s Amazon series Just Cause was first announced, but this project is finally moving in the right direction. Acclaimed filmmakers Cord Jefferson and John Wells signed on to write and executive produce this limited series.
Just Cause was initially announced in late 2022 as Johansson’s long-awaited TV debut, originally written by Christy Hall (I’m Not OK with This). Amazon gave it a straight-to-series order, with the Marriage Story star coming on board as one of its executive producers.
Based on John Katzenbach’s 1992 novel of the same name, Just Cause will put a female-centric twist on his book, and see the two-time Oscar winner play Madison “Madi” Cowart, a struggling reporter from Florida sent to cover the final days of an inmate on death row.
Cord Jefferson, whose feature directorial debut American Fiction is currently in the running for five Academy Awards, will co-write the first episode alongside John Wells, best known for his work on Shameless. Jefferson’s work on television includes the Emmy-winning episode of HBO’s Watchmen, plus hit series The Good Place and Succession.
Jefferson and Wells are also coming on board as the show’s executive producers alongside Johansson and Hall, plus Jonathan Lia and Keenan Flynn for These Pictures, and Erin Jontow for John Wells Productions.
