Scarlett Johansson’s name was nowhere to be seen in Thunderbolts* despite a previous reveal, and the reason for that has been explained. Johansson starred in some of the MCU’s best movies as a staple of the Avengers and Captain America franchises. The actress got to lead a solo movie as Black Widow in the Marvel Cinematic Universe before officially hanging up the costume, with Johansson having since said multiple times that chapter of her life has ended. Now, it appears the actress cemented so with a new move.
During an interview with fellow MCU star David Harbour for Interview Magazine, Scarlett Johansson revealed she asked for her Thunderbolts* Executive Producer credit to be removed. Before the film’s release, it was made public that Johansson would be credited in the film despite not being part of Thunderbolts*‘s star-studded cast. Since the 2025 MCU movie included multiple returning players from 2021’s Black Widow, in which Johansson starred and had an Executive Producer role, the initial move made sense. According to the actress, the request was because she did not work on Thunderbolts*. Check out the full quote below:
HARBOUR: Yes. It’s the opening day of a movie that basically you are the seventh Thunderbolt in. Your character is all over this movie. Have you seen it?
JOHANSSON: No.
HARBOUR: Okay. You are an executive producer on it. Congratulations.
JOHANSSON: I asked to have my credit removed because I wasn’t involved.
What Scarlett Johansson’s Thunderbolts* Comments Mean
The MCU Actress Does Not Hate The Movie
While some might take her decision as a wish to distance herself from the MCU and Thunderbolts* specifically, that is not what was behind the actress’ move. Johansson and Harbour, who starred in Thunderbolts* as Red Guardian, even joke about that in the interview. After the Black Widow actress claimed she had her Executive Producer credit removed, Harbour quipped, “You hated the movie that much?” Johansson disproved the notion that she hates Thunderbolts* and later told the Red Guardian actor that she was proud of him.
Johansson’s words make sense. The actress did not want to be credited as an Executive Producer on Thunderbolts* while not working on the movie at all. During the interview, she asks Harbour if he sH๏τ most of the MCU movie in Atlanta. Given how she is not aware of the details regarding the Thunderbolts* production, her involvement really would have been in name only, likely due to how she had a big role in bringing characters like Yelena Belova, Red Guardian, and Taskmaster to life in Black Widow.
Our Take On Scarlett Johansson’s Thunderbolts* Comments
I don’t think that Scarlett Johansson having her Executive Producer credit removed from Thunderbolts* is a bad thing. Based on her explanation, I believe she made a reasonable move, as receiving the Executive Producer credit on something she had no control over and did not work on does not fit Johansson’s hands-on stance. Recently, Johansson had her directorial debut in the form of Eleanor the Great in Cannes. I imagine that as she starts working more behind the camera, Johansson will be pickier with such credits, which includes her Thunderbolts* removal.
