JOHANSSON NOW ALSO 'NOT THAT INTO YOU'; ACTRESS BOOKS BACK-TO-BACK ROLES (THR)

By Nancy Vialatte

Scarlett Johansson is one busy lady. The actress has lined up a series of roles that will see her moving quickly from modern relationships to comic strip noir to costume drama. She has just joined the ever-growing ensemble of New Line's "He's Just Not That Into You," which she will shoot first before then materializing as a femme fatale in "Will Eisner's The Spirit," being directed by Frank Miller for Odd Lot Entertainment and Lionsgate. After that, she�ll wear a crown for "Mary Queen of Scots" becoming the latest thesp to book back-to-back-to-back roles in anticipation of a possible strike.

In "Into You," Johansson will play a pilates instructor/aspiring singer who has an affair with a married man and hopes that he will leave his wife for her. Yesterday, it was announced that Jennifer Aniston had joined Jennifer Connelly, Bradley Cooper, Kevin Connolly, Justin Long, Ginnifer Goodwin and Drew Barrymore in �Into You� which is being directed by Ken Kwapis.

For "Spirit," Miller's adaptation of the classic Eisner film noir comic strip series, Johansson is in final negotiations to play a dangerous beauty named Silk N. Floss. Eisner's strip was known for its women with dangerous curves, and Miller is intent on keeping that tradition. Floss is a sexy and intelligent secretary with a vindictive instinct that makes her the perfect accomplice to the Octopus (Samuel L. Jackson), an evil mastermind.

Odd Lot Entertainment and Lionsgate are production partners on "Spirit," with Lionsgate holding domestic and UK rights.

The long-in-development "Scots" has been reinvigorated by the infusion of new director John Curran ("The Painted Veil"). The period indie, a love story based on the early life of the legendary queen (Johansson) that focuses on her relationship with the Earl of Bothwell and her rivalry with her half-brother James, is scheduled to go before cameras in March in the U.K.