Key Point Summary โ Scarlett Johansson Great For Scaring Wolves
- USDA uses Johansson and Driverโs โMarriage Storyโ fight audio to scare wolves
- Wolves have been killing livestock across the American West
- Audio played via loudspeakers and drones over farmlands
- Other sounds include gunshots, fireworks, and hard rock tracks
- Goal is to make wolves associate humans with danger
- Gray wolves labeled as โterrorizingโ livestock herds
- Film earned six Oscar nominations and one win in 2020
Itโs the showdown no one saw coming โ Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver vs. Americaโs hungriest wolves.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has a strange new weapon in its battle to save livestock: Oscar-worthy rage. According to the Wall Street Journal, a heated โMarriage Storyโ argument scene is being blasted over farmland loudspeakers in parts of the West to scare off gray wolves prowling for cattle and sheep.
USDA officials say the goal is simple โ make wolves believe that humans are loud, unpredictable, and dangerous. And who better to help than two actors who turned emotional warfare into an art form?
Why Wolves Fear Johanssonโs Fury
Paul Wolf โ yes, thatโs his real name โ is a USDA district supervisor in Oregon. He told the WSJ that playing intense human conflict sends a clear message: โI need the wolves to respond and know that, hey, humans are bad.โ
Itโs not just Hollywood drama filling the air. Overhead drones also blast fireworks, gunfire, and even AC/DCโs โThunderstruckโ to keep the predators away from vulnerable herds. Five Finger Death Punchโs โBlue on Blackโ has also made the playlist, proving the USDAโs deterrent tactics range from heavy metal to heavy dialogue.
A New Twist In The Wolf Wars
Gray wolves, once nearly extinct in the continental U.S., have made a comeback โ and some ranchers arenโt celebrating. Livestock owners across the American West say the predators are โterrorizingโ herds, leading to costly losses.
The USDA has turned to unconventional measures after traditional wolf control methods met with mixed success. Broadcasting Hollywood fight scenes is just the latest in a growing list of experimental deterrents.
From Divorce Drama To Predator Patrol
โMarriage Story,โ directed by Noah Baumbach, premiered in 2019 and quickly became an awards-season favorite. The story follows Johansson and Driver as a couple locked in a messy divorce, delivering one of cinemaโs most memorable argument scenes.
The film earned six Oscar nominations, including Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay, with Laura Dern taking home the 2020 Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. But now, the movieโs legacy has an unexpected new chapter โ helping to save cattle from hungry predators.
Public Reaction: Applause And Eye-Rolls
Social media lit up with reactions to the news. Some users praised the creative approach, joking that if the scene could rattle Oscar voters, it could certainly rattle wolves. Others questioned whether blaring human arguments over farmland might simply confuse or stress wildlife further.
Animal rights groups have yet to weigh in, but some conservationists warn that fear-based tactics could have unpredictable effects on wolf behavior. Meanwhile, ranchers desperate to protect their herds are willing to try almost anything.
Whatโs Next For Wolf Deterrence?
The USDAโs sound arsenal could expand if the tactic works. Other loud and dramatic audio โ from horror movie screams to NFL crowd roars โ might soon join the wolf-repellent playlist.
Whether wolves will eventually grow accustomed to Johanssonโs on-screen rage remains to be seen. But for now, one thing is certain: somewhere in the wild West, a gray wolf is slinking away as Scarlett Johansson tells Adam Driver exactly what she thinks of him.
Outlook: Lights, Camera, Donโt Come Back
If this experiment pays off, โMarriage Storyโ could gain an odd place in environmental management history. Not as just a searing portrait of a failing marriage โ but as a soundtrack that helped keep wolves at bay.