The film is based on Michel Faber’s 2000 novel of the same name. Jonathan Glazer directed it while co-writing the screenplay with Walter Campbell. The Oscar-nominated director was approached to adapt Under My Skin into a film following the success of Sexy Beast (2000).

Although he was interested in making it, he didn’t begin working on it until 2004 (via The Guardian). However, the film took a decade to materialize. The story centers on a woman, referred to as the Female, who drives around Glasgow in a van and spends most nights seducing men.

She takes them to an abandoned house and submerges them in a strange black liquid that leaves behind nothing but their empty skin. But after an encounter with a deformed man, she abandons her routine. Throughout the film, abstract visuals hint at the woman’s alien origins.

Under My Skin stars Scarlett Johansson as the Female. Other cast members include Jeremy McWilliams, Lynsey Taylor Mackay, Dougie McConnell, Adam Pearson, Kevin McAlinden, and D. Meade.

Interestingly, the filmmakers considered Eva Green, January Jones, Abbie Cornish, and Olivia Wilde for the lead role. It ultimately landed with the Jojo Rabbit actress. While talking about her casting, the director said, “It made a great deal of sense to cast somebody very well known out of context.

I remember seeing her walking along the street in a pink jumper on a long lens, and she looks like an exotic insect on the wrong continent” (via The Irish Times). A24 released the film in the United States on April 4, 2014. While critics praised the film for Faber’s direction and Johansson’s performance, the audience gave it a less-than-favorable reception.

Consequently, the film currently has a 83% Tomatometer and 55% Popcornmeter score on Rotten Tomatoes. The film cost $13.3 million to make. However, it managed to earn only $7.5 million globally, making it a commercial failure. Nevertheless, Under My Skin received several accolades, including nominations at the BAFTA Awards and the British Independent Film Awards.