Here’s something we didn’t have on our 2025 bingo card:Scarlett JohanssonandAdam Driverare being used to deter wolves from attacking cattle on farms across the nation. Now that you’ve stopped laughing, we can tell you that it’s true, as a new report fromThe Wall Street Journalgoes into great detail to describe how the USDA is using “drone cowhands” to fend off the wolves and save livestock.
Part of the strategy involves using drones equipped with thermal cameras to expose wolves and bathe them in bright lights. Once spotted, a loudspeaker blasts all sorts of irritating noise, including the heated argument between Johansson and Driver that’s featured in the Oscar-winning 2019 Netflix movie,Marriage Story. The strategy seems to be working, as after wolves killed 11 cows in the Klamath Basin of southern Oregon over a 20-day period, drones were deployed to knock that number back to just two deaths over 85 days. Says Paul Wolf (no, seriously), a USDA district supervisor in Oregon:
“I need the wolves to respond and know that, hey, humans are bad.”
Directed by Noah Baumbach,Marriage Storystars Johansson and Driver as Nicole and Charlie, a couple going through a bi-coastal divorce complicated by custody issues surrounding their son. Their argument is one of the most emotionally charged moments in the entire movie, so it’s easy to understand why it would be used to drive off wildlife as nobody, human or animal, wants to listen to that for very long. Also starring Laura Dern (who won Best Supporting Actress), Alan Alda, Ray Liotta, Julie Hagerty, and Merritt Wever, the film managed to take in $2.3 million at the box office during its limited theatrical run before hitting Netflix. Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes with a 95% rating, it was also nominated for Best Picture and called by many one of the mosthonest portrayals of a relationship in shambles ever made.
What’s Next for Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver?
Aside from being used to frighten off wolves, both Johansson and Driver have a full plate right now, remaining as busy as ever. Johansson is hot off the heels of the successofJurassic World Rebirth– which brought in more than $750 million at the box office – while Driver is set to appear in the dramedyFather Mother Sister Brotherlater this year.
Coincidentally, both Johansson and Driver will share the screen again in the upcoming crime drama,Paper Tiger. Directed by James Gray (Ad Astra) and also starring Miles Teller, the film follows two brothers who get caught up in a web of corruption and violence that tests not only their familial bond, but their loyalty as well. No release date has been set, as it’s still currently filming in New Jersey and Queens.
Jurassic World Rebirthis now available on digital platforms everywhere, while Driver’s latest, Francis Ford Coppola’sMeaglopolis, has yet to be made available on any digital or streaming platform after bombing in theaters. Instead, you can catch him in the 2023 sports drama,Ferrari, which is now streaming on Hulu.Marriage Storyis streaming on Netflix.
Marriage Story
