Scarlett Johansson's Directorial Debut Eleanor The Great to Premiere at 2025 Cannes Film Festival; All We Know About Film

Scarlett Johansson’s directorial debut, Eleanor the Great, starring June Squibb, is set to premiere at Cannes 2025. Here is all you need to know about the movie.

By Anushka Solanki

Published on Apr 10, 2025 | 10:57 AM GMT | 155K

Eleanor The Great Poster [Image via IMDb] Scarlett Johansson [Image via Instagram]

Scarlett Johansson is making her directorial debut, and it’s headed to one of the biggest film stages in the world. Her first film as a director, Eleanor the Great, will premiere at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival in the 'Un Certain Regard' section, which highlights original storytelling. Variety was the first to break the exciting news.

The film stars 94-year-old June Squibb as Eleanor Morgenstein, a woman from Florida who travels to New York City and unexpectedly bonds with a 19-year-old student. The heartwarming drama also features Chiwetel Ejiofor, Jessica Hecht, and Erin Kellyman in supporting roles.

Johansson, who has mostly been typecast for her roles in Lost in Translation and the Avengers films, shot the movie in New York in early 2024, including scenes at Coney Island, Times Square, and other iconic spots. Filming wrapped up last April.

The script was written by Tory Kamen, with cinematography by Hélène Louvart, who previously worked on Never Rarely Sometimes Always. The project was produced by Maven Screen Media and TriStar Pictures, with Sony Pictures Classics set to handle global distribution.

This is a major milestone for Johansson, who has been acting since she was a kid. Now, she’s stepping behind the camera to tell a story of her own, joining the growing list of actors-turned-directors who are shaping the future of cinema.

Eleanor the Great is one of several debut features in this year’s Cannes lineup. Actor Harris Dickinson will also premiere his first directorial effort, Urchin. With this, the 78th Cannes Film Festival runs from May 13 to 24 in the south of France and will also feature new films from Wes Anderson, Ari Aster, and Richard Linklater, making this year’s festival one to watch closely.

All updates from the upcoming Cannes Film Festival will be added to this section as they come. Thus, keep an eye on Pinkvilla for more intel on the same, including exclusive interviews, red carpet looks, and surprise announcements.

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