Scarlett Johansson Gave Her Best Sci-Fi Performance in This Explosive Streaming Sensation

1 week ago 10

Published Feb 2, 2026, 6:11 PM EST

Lade Omotade is a News and Feature Author at Collider with a passion for exploring the ever-evolving world of the Film & TV industry. Her work centers on covering the latest news, from casting announcements and franchise scoops to streaming updates and behind-the-scenes shifts that shape the way stories are told.

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Scarlett Johansson is globally recognized for her portrayal of Natasha Romanoff, a.k.a. Black Widow, in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, a role she played for over a decade. However, she has also been attached to a wide range of Hollywood projects, including a couple of sci-fi works, making a name for herself in that universe. The award-winning actress gave her best sci-fi performances in several genre-bending films, most notably as an alien entity in Under the Skin, an advanced AI in Her, and a superhuman in Lucy.

For those yet to check out the sci-fi hit, Lucy's synopsis teases it as such:

When a boyfriend tricks Lucy (Scarlett Johansson) into delivering a briefcase to a supposed business contact, the once-carefree student is abducted by thugs who intend to turn her into a drug mule. She is surgically implanted with a package containing a powerful chemical, but it leaks into her system, giving her superhuman abilities, including telekinesis and telepathy. With her former captors in pursuit, Lucy seeks out a neurologist (Morgan Freeman), who she hopes will be able to help her.

Lucy is currently surging on streaming charts, almost twelve years after its theatrical release. Written and directed by Luc Besson, Lucy has gained significant popularity on global streaming, particularly on HBO Max, where it is the fifth most-watched movie, per FlixPatrol. Over the weekend till now, the sci-fi movie has ranked among the top 3 in Central and South American countries, including Panama, Argentina, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, and Guatemala, among others. Lucy was released in the US on July 25, 2014, and in addition to Johansson, it stars Morgan Freeman, Choi Min-sik, and Amr Waked.

Scarlett Johansson Was Impressive in 'Lucy'

Lucy was a massive box office success upon its 2014 premiere, earning a worldwide total of $463.4 million on a budget of $40 million. The movie opened with over $17 million, placing it in the top spot for the box office opening weekend, ahead of its competition, Hercules, and ultimately grossed $126.7 million in North America and $336.7 million in other territories. Additionally, the critical reception was positive yet divisive, as seen on Rotten Tomatoes. On the review aggregator website, Lucy holds a 67% Tomatometer score with a consensus that describes it as "enthusiastic and silly." Nevertheless, Johansson's portrayal of the title character earned praise from critics.

Lucy streams on HBO Max. Follow Collider for more information.