Scarlett Johansson has revealed she requested her executive producer credit be removed from Marvel’s upcoming film Thunderbolts (2025), stating she had no involvement in the project. In a recent interview with co-star David Harbour for Interview magazine, Johansson said, “I asked to have my credit removed because I wasn’t involved.”
Johansson, 40, last appeared in the Marvel Cinematic Universe in Black Widow (2021), a prequel released after her character Natasha Romanoff’s death in Avengers: Endgame (2019). Despite her character’s influence on Thunderbolts — which reunites figures from her storyline including Red Guardian (David Harbour) and Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh) — Johansson made clear she played no creative role in the new film.
Harbour jokingly asked if she had disliked the movie, to which Johansson laughed and denied: “No, you’re just wanting that to be the case.” Nonetheless, she affirmed her support for the cast, saying, “I am proud of you.”
Reflecting on her time in the MCU, Johansson noted the uneven creative engagement across projects. “Some of the films… engaged my character more than others,” she said, citing Winter Soldier as a highlight. She also described the long shoots and physical demands of Marvel films as consuming: “You’re committed to five and a half months of that… your identity is wrapped up in this job.”
Currently, Johansson stars in Jurassic World Rebirth and recently premiered her directorial debut Eleanor the Great at Cannes. She told Deadline she’s open to directing an MCU film someday, as long as it maintains emotional depth: “There’s a way of doing that… with integrity, human connection, and family.”
Johansson’s decision underscores her desire for authenticity in both credit and creative participation.