Hollywood can spend the GDP of a small kingdom on explosions and still forget one tiny detail: who actually wants to watch the movie? Between franchise extensions, sequels nobody ordered, and pitches seemingly assembled by a malfunctioning algorithm, even the popcorn deserves a moment of silence.

Scarlett Johansson knows that cinematic headache firsthand. The former Black Widow has navigated billion-dollar blockbusters and intimate dramas, building enough clout to question the scripts crossing her desk.

Recently, she has revealed that certain studio proposals prompted a response fit for Hollywood's emergency eject button.

Speaking with the Los Angeles Times for Paper Tiger press tour, Scarlett Johansson explained that choosing projects involves asking whether audiences will connect with what appears on screen. A flashy concept, expensive cast, and enormous marketing campaign cannot magically produce a reason to buy a ticket. Some offers have triggered an especially severe verdict.

"I don't think you should make this. I don't know who you're making this for," she revealed.

"It seems irresponsible to make this," she quipped. Johansson declined to name the offending projects, leaving Hollywood's mystery-script graveyard safely locked.  She explained that audiences remain an essential consideration in her decision-making process, even after decades of navigating the industry's unpredictable machinery.

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While Hollywood's rejected pitches remain classified, Johansson's latest project places an ordinary Queens family inside a criminal nightmare.

Set in 1986 Queens, Paper Tiger follows the Pearl family as one tempting business opportunity turns into a Russian-mafia nightmare. James Gray writes and directs, swapping caped vigilantes for gangsters who make financial planning feel like an extreme sport.

Miles Teller plays Irwin, an engineer hoping to secure his family's future. His brother Gary, portrayed by Adam Driver, is a former policeman with a lucrative proposition involving Brooklyn's polluted Gowanus Canal. Naturally, the arrangement goes sideways faster than a getaway car with three flat tires.

Scarlett Johansson plays Irwin's wife, Hester, who must protect their two sons while concealing a frightening medical diagnosis. Gavin Goudey and Roman Engel portray the children. The film premiered in competition at the Cannes Film Festival, with Neon securing North American distribution rights. Rated R for language and some violence, Paper Tiger opens in select theaters November 13 before expanding nationwide November 20.

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Do you agree with Johansson's criticism of Hollywood's questionable pitches? Let us know in the comments.