Actress Scarlett Johansson has been one of Marvel’s most iconic faces and brought Black Widow to life across a decade of blockbuster movies. So, because of this, she became a driving force behind the scenes, even earning an executive producer credit on Black Widow.
But now, in an unexpected twist, the actress has asked for her executive producer credit to be removed from Thunderbolts*. This, for obvious reasons, raised a lot of questions – and it turns out, the reason behind it may reveal more about Marvel’s current struggles than anyone expected. Let’s dive deeper!
Why didn’t Scarlett Johansson want her name on Marvel’s Thunderbolts*?
Looks like Scarlett Johansson has officially drawn the line with Marvel. The actress, famous for her role as Natasha Romanoff a.k.a. Black Widow, has asked for her executive producer credit to be removed from Marvel’s movie Thunderbolts* – and now she’s explaining why.
Johansson was once a key pillar of the MCU and helped define the Avengers era. She starred in multiple blockbusters and even led her own solo movie, Black Widow, in 2021. That movie not only gave closure to her character but also gave her a producer title, marking her important role behind the camera as well.
Naturally, when Thunderbolts* (a movie packed with returning Black Widow characters) was announced, many assumed that Johansson would have some involvement. In fact, Marvel had already revealed that she would be credited as an executive producer on the movie. But after the release of the movie, her name is nowhere in sight.
Yes, in a chat with David Harbour for Interview Magazine, Johansson shared that she personally requested to have her credit removed. Why? Because she felt it wasn’t right to take credit for a title she hadn’t worked on. She added:
I asked to have my credit removed because I wasn’t involved.
While Marvel may have hoped to honor her legacy, the actress clearly wanted to set the record straight.
Scarlett Johansson wants to return to the MCU, but not as an actor
Scarlett Johansson may have said goodbye to Natasha Romanoff, but not to the MCU. That’s right – while promoting her directorial debut Eleanor the Great at the Cannes Film Festival, she revealed via EW that she’s open to returning to the MCU – this time behind the camera.
The actress, who has starred in eight Marvel movies and helped shape Black Widow’s legacy, said she would love to direct a Marvel project in the future.
Moreover, she also reflected on the relationship between Natasha and Yelena and said she sees potential in telling similar stories on a bigger scale, but from the director’s chair.
Although she didn’t mention any specific characters or plotlines she’d want to tackle, fans are already speculating. In the midst of all this, Johansson also took time to confirm once again that she has no plans of playing Natasha anytime soon. She added, “Natasha is dead. She is dead. She’s dead. Okay?”
Still, as Marvel looks to refresh its universe, Johansson’s interest in directing could offer a new chapter.
Thunderbolts* is set to arrive on Disney+ later this summer. Moreover, you can currently rent Black Widow in the USA on Disney+ and Apple TV.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
