Scarlett Johansson is set to star in 'Rub & Tug'.

Scarlett Johansson

Scarlett Johansson

The 33-year-old actress has reportedly been cast as a mob-connected massage parlour owner - who was a woman but lived life as a man - in the forthcoming movie.

The film is based on the life of Dante 'Tex' Gill (Johansson), a notorious figure in the Pittsburgh underworld in the late 70s and early 80s, who masqueraded as a man in order to run a massage parlour and prostitution business.

She also ran an anabolic steroids ring for NFL team the Pittsburgh Steelers and used her connections in the gay community to deceive the mob until she was eventually convicted of tax evasion in 1984 and spent seven years in prison.

The film will also include Tex's turbulent relationship with her girlfriend Cynthia, comingsoon.net reports

The movie will see Johansson reunite with director Rupert Sanders - whom she worked with in 'Ghost in the Shell' - as he leads from a script by Gary Spinelli.

Johansson, Spinelli, Joel Silver, Tobey Maguire, Matthew Plouffe and Jonathan Lia will produce, while Joel Silver's Silver Pictures, Tobey Maguire's Material Pictures and Johansson's These Pictures will co-produce.

It's not yet known when the movie will go into production as Johansson is currently filming 'JoJo Rabbit' and is attached to play Black Widow in a standalone movie.

The rest of the casting is yet to be announced.


Tagged in