In Jurassic World Rebirth, Johansson plays Zora Bennett, a tough-as-nails mercenary leading a covert mission to retrieve dinosaur DNA.

Scarlett Johansson has officially entered the Jurassic Park universe, a dream nearly three decades in the making for the Hollywood star. In a recent appearance on the TODAY show, Johansson shared her excitement about finally joining the iconic franchise through the upcoming film Jurassic World Rebirth.

“It was a childhood dream of mine to be in this movie,” Johansson said during her chat with host Craig Melvin. “I’ve been trying to get into the Jurassic universe for thirty years.”

In Jurassic World Rebirth, Johansson plays Zora Bennett, a tough-as-nails mercenary leading a covert mission to retrieve dinosaur DNA from a mysterious island deep in the ocean. But the real twist? The island is teeming with dinosaurs, making survival far from guaranteed.

Johansson recalled her first encounter with the original Jurassic Park film. “I saw the movie when I was 10 years old in the theater and it was so impactful,” she said. “Like everyone else in that audience, I was mesmerized, terrified and completely carried away. It shaped part of my childhood.”

As for how she finally snagged a role in the beloved franchise? Johansson joked, “Turns out that if you harass Frank Marshall enough, you could get a job,” referring to the film’s producer.

Jurassic World Rebirth, which runs for 2 hours and 14 minutes, promises edge-of-your-seat action and jaw-dropping visuals. Alongside Johansson, the ensemble cast includes Jonathan Bailey, Rupert Friend, Mahershala Ali, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, Ed Skrein, David Iacono and Luna Blaise. They portray a ragtag group of survivors navigating a prehistoric island full of danger.

Filming took place in various remote and exotic locations, including Malta and the rainforests of Thailand. Johansson revealed that the realistic settings brought authenticity to the scenes and a few real-life scares too.

“The environment was authentic. We were really in the jungle,” she said. “You’d be making coffee and someone would say, ‘They just found a scorpion on the coffee table,’ and you’d realize you were just standing there moments ago.”

Johansson even had to climb a rock wall for some action sequences. Though it was part of a set, she said the experience was still intense, but manageable thanks to proper training and the film’s rigging crew. “Heights aren’t really my greatest fear,” she admitted. “Cockroaches, on the other hand, are, and there were plenty of those too.”

Shooting in the jungle also meant dealing with the unpredictable weather. “We filmed during the monsoon season, which I wouldn’t recommend,” Johansson laughed. “I saw Mahershala Ali melt like a human candle.”

Despite all the challenges, Johansson says joining the Jurassic franchise was worth it. “Yes, I’m a city girl from New York,” she said. “But it was amazing to shoot in those majestic settings — even if I wished I was on a traditional set every single day.”