Scarlett Johansson to reunite with Ghost in the Shell director for upcoming film Rub & Tug

Los Angeles: Actor Scarlett Johansson is all set to reunite with her Ghost in the Shell  director Rupert Sanders for a new project about a massage parlour owner.

The film, titled Rub & Tug, is based on the life of Jean Marie Gill (Johansson), who ran a number of mafia-protected massage parlours in Pittsburgh during 1970s and 1980s , which were fronts for prostitution by assuming the identity of a man, Dante ‘Tex’ Gill. According to a report by The Guardian , she used to dress like a man, wear short hair and sideburns. She remained in a long-term relationship with Cynthia Bruno.

She was convicted of tax evasion in 1984, the same year that The Pittsburgh Press awarded her the “Dubious man of the year” and “Dubious woman of the year” title, according to  Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Gary Spinelli has penned the script with Sanders directing.

The project has been picked up by New Regency and will be produced by Joel Silver, Tobey Maguire, Johansson, Matthew Plouffe, Spinelli and Jonathan Lia, reported Deadline.

Hal Sadoff will serve as the executive producer alongside Ethan Erwin, Sarah Meyer, Richard Weinberg and Brendan Koerner. Filming on the project is expected to start in February next year.

(With inputs from Press Trust of India)