Scarlett Johansson Demands Thunderbolts Credit Be Removed

She remains a steadfast supporter—but Scarlett Johansson has no immediate plans to return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, recently even requesting the removal of an executive producer credit from Thunderbolts^*.

"I asked to have my credit removed because I wasn't involved," the Black Widow star revealed during a conversation with Thunderbolts^* actor David Harbour for Interview Magazine. Johansson told Harbour—who reprises his Black Widow role as Red Guardian in the film—that she hadn’t yet seen the movie (the interview took place on Thunderbolts^*’s release day). When Harbour pointed out her producing credit, she clarified her stance.

Harbour joked, "Did you hate the film *that* much?" She quickly responded: "No, that’s not the case at all," emphasizing her pride in the team behind the project.

According to IMDb, Johansson is no longer listed as an executive producer on the film, which premiered last month.

In a Deadline interview, the actress expressed interest in potentially directing an MCU project despite stepping back from acting in the franchise.

"Working on Black Widow—producing it, shaping Natasha and Yelena’s story—made me realize how much I enjoyed that creative process," she explained. "You can maintain deep human themes—family, heartbreak, connection—even in this massive universe. There’s a way to do it on a grand scale. So yeah, directing could be an exciting opportunity."

Marvel rebranded Thunderbolts^* as New Avengers post-release, even mirroring the on-screen conflict between Sam Wilson’s Avengers and the new team in real-world marketing. The movie sets the stage for Phase 6’s launch with The Fantastic Four: First Steps this July.