Scarlett Johansson revisits underrated 2000s rom-com with potential new Netflix series

These days, the words "reboot," "remake," or "revival" have a negative connotation and are met with groans more often than they're met with cheers. But every so often, there's an exciting announcement about certain past properties being revisited that are unexpected and very, very welcome. That's what Scarlett Johansson bringing back The Nanny Diaries feels like.

Before she became a big-screen Marvel superhero and a two-time Academy Award nominee, Scarlett Johansson starred in a number of cult favorite and underrated films, including the 2007 romantic comedy The Nanny Diaries (which also starred her Avengers costar Chris Evans). Fast-forward 21 years later and the star is producing a possible series adaptation for Netflix.

The Nanny Diaries series in the works at Netflix from Scarlett Johansson

Netflix has put a series based on The Nanny Diaries book by Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus into development with the film adaptation's star Scarlett Johansson executive producing alongside her Fly Me to the Moon director Greg Berlanti. The series will be written and executive produced by Amy Chozick and Jenny Bicks and take its inspiration more from the novel than the movie.

In the novel, Annie takes a job as a nanny for a wealthy family on the Upper East Side of New York City and uses her experience as material for a book that exposes what happens behind closed doors in these luxury environments. She leads this double life while growing closer to the family she's working for. The movie made some changes to the story's setup, and the show could, too.

The Nanny Diaries hit theaters in August 2007 and starred Johansson as Annie Braddock, a recent college grad who majored in anthropology who ends up scoring a gig as a nanny for a rich family. She finds her boss, played by Laura Linney, to be toxic and filming her every move with a "nanny cam" in a teddy bear, but Annie bonds with her son and helps the family overcome serious dysfunction.

According to Deadline, Johansson and Berlanti first discussed the idea for collaborating on a series based on The Nanny Diaries while working together on Fly Me to the Moon, the Apple movie that was released in 2024. Currently, the series adaptation of the book is still in early development, but the prospect of these two talents working together on this is very exciting.

Personally, I loved The Nanny Diaries and saw the movie when it was released in 2007, but the movie seemed to be quickly buried among Johansson's skyrocket to success on the big screen in the succeeding years in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It's by far one of the most underrated entries in her filmography and a rare straightforward romantic comedy in her filmography at that.

There's a good chance that The Nanny Diaries series could move forward at Netflix given Johansson and Berlanti's relationships with the streamer. Johansson starred in the Oscar-nominated film Marriage Story, while Berlanti executive produced the Netflix original series You, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, Dead Boy Detectives, and the upcoming Scooby-Doo: Origins.

Stay tuned for more news and updates on the developing Netflix series!

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