Scarlett Johansson Removes Executive Producer Credit for ‘Thunderbolts’

LOS ANGELES, CA — Scarlett Johansson revealed that she requested to have her executive producer credit removed from the Marvel film “Thunderbolts,” which opened in theaters last month. During a recent conversation with her co-star David Harbour for Interview magazine, Johansson clarified her role.

Harbour, who plays Red Guardian in the film, congratulated Johansson on her credit, saying, “It’s the opening day of a movie that basically you are the seventh Thunderbolt in. Your character is all over this movie… You are an executive producer on it. Congratulations.” However, Johansson quickly responded, “I asked to have my credit removed because I wasn’t involved.” She implied that contractual reasons may have initially warranted her credit.

Johansson, who portrayed Black Widow in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) for over a decade, reflected on her experiences in multiple Marvel films. She noted, “Some of the films that I did for Marvel engaged my character more than others. Like in ‘Captain America: The Winter Soldier’ with Chris [Evans], we were really dynamic. In some of the other films, the cast was so enormous… you start to feel like you’re a device to move it along.”

Harbour, who has starred in Netflix’s “Stranger Things” for nearly 10 years, expressed his understanding of Johansson’s feelings. He shared, “When I started I loved it so much… And then you get to a certain point where you’re like, ‘How much more story is there?’… I want to take a risk. I want to do something that people haven’t seen me do before.”

Johansson’s character, Natasha Romanoff, was killed off in 2019’s “Avengers: Endgame,” but her story continued in the standalone film “Black Widow.” Despite the popularity of the franchise, Johansson has stated that she does not plan on returning to the MCU. Earlier this year, she mentioned, “I don’t want to mess with that. For fans, too — it’s important for them.”

Harbour and Johansson’s conversation provides insight into the challenges actors face when committing to long-term roles and franchises, especially within the demanding environment of blockbuster filmmaking.