Word is coming out the American Film Market (AFM) that Scarlett Johansson will be playing a sexy alien in the sci-fi drama Under the Skin.  According to Heat Vision, Johansson plays "an alien on earth, disguised as the perfect aesthetic form of a mesmerizing woman. She scours remote highways and desolate scenery looking to use her greatest weapon to snare human prey -- her voracious sexuality."  Hit the jump for how writer-director Jonathan Glazer (Sexy Beast) isn't just remaking Species or any other low-budget sci-fi B-movie.

Heat Vision reports that Johansson's character:

"...is deadly efficient, but over time becomes drawn to and changed by the complexity of life on earth. With this new found humanity and weakening alien resolve, she finds herself on a collision course with her own kind. Taking her point of view throughout, the film presents a unique look at our world through alien eyes."

So it's like Species except the character learns to "love" instead of "kill more people".

Johansson will reprise her role as Natasha Romanov/Black Widow in Joss Whedon's The Avengers, which is set to begin shooting in February 2011.  She's also been mentioned in connection to a variety of projects including Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, The Great Gatsby, and We Bought a Zoo.  Shooting on Under the Skin is slated to begin in late spring of next year.