The scurrilous remarks in the article were met with great joy by the leadership of the company.

'Scurrilous' means making or spreading scandalous claims with the intent to damage someone's reputation. Such remarks would not be met with joy by the leadership. For the leadership to react with great joy, the remarks must be positive or praising. 'Laudatory' means expressing praise and commendation, which fits perfectly. 'Reviling', 'scathing', and 'upbraiding' are all negative/critical synonyms similar to scurrilous and would not produce joy. Hence, 'laudatory' is the correct improvement.