Florence Pugh Reflects on Scarlett Johansson’s Absence in Thunderbolts

LOS ANGELES, CA – Florence Pugh recently opened up about missing Scarlett Johansson as they promote Marvel’s upcoming film, Thunderbolts, set for release on May 2. Pugh, who portrays Yelena Belova, was introduced to fans as the successor to Johansson’s character, Natasha Romanoff, during their MCU debut in 2021.

Johansson’s character met her end in Avengers: Endgame, which set the stage for Pugh’s character to take the spotlight. Pugh fondly recalls her experience on the set of Black Widow, the film that introduced her character, noting that Johansson played a significant role in her journey within the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

“My whole journey with Marvel was because of Scarlett trusting me and wanting me to join her movie six years ago,” Pugh told The Hollywood Reporter. “I always miss her presence. It was such a mean thing… that [Black Widow] was the first and the last time I would get to experience this world with her.”

David Harbour, who plays Alexei Shostakov in Thunderbolts, also chimed in about missing Rachel Weisz‘s character, Melina. In Black Widow, Melina and Yelena escaped the Red Room, and Harbour expressed a desire to see the character return for more storylines. “I think there’s still very much potential for Melina,” he said while reminiscing about a deleted scene where Alexei and Melina shared a kiss.

Pugh showcased her adventurous spirit by lobbying for an exhilarating stunt featured in Thunderbolts, where she jumps from Kuala Lumpur‘s Merdeka 118. She cited Tom Cruise’s stunts as an inspiration for her leap. “Anything that Tom Cruise does, stunt-wise and acting-wise, is just totally impressive,” Pugh shared. “So it certainly was fun to pretend to be Tom Cruise for a few seconds.”

As the Thunderbolts press tour continues, the cast is eager to share their unique take on the film, which promises to explore themes deeper than the typical superhero narrative. Thunderbolts opens in theaters across the nation on May 2.