Scarlett Johansson Rejects Executive Producer Credit For MCU's 'Thunderbolts'

Scarlett Johansson wants no credit where no credit is due, especially when it comes to Marvel Cinematic Universe's "Thunderbolts."

In an interview, the "Black Widow" star revealed she asked Marvel Studios to remove her from the film's credits entirely, clarifying she had no involvement in the project. 

Scarlett Johansson's request follows her highly publicized battle with Disney over her "Black Widow" contract, which was settled in late 2021.

Scarlett Johansson joined the MCU in 2010's "Iron Man 2" and cemented her place with "The Avengers" before closing out her Marvel run with 2021's "Black Widow."

Johansson does not want her name attached to Marvel's "Thunderbolts," and she made that crystal clear in a new conversation with fellow actor David Harbour.

Harbour brought up the film's release day and mentioned that Johansson's Black Widow character had a strong presence in the movie. "It's the opening day of a movie that basically you are the seventh Thunderbolt in," he told her. "Have you seen it?" To which she replied, "No."

When Harbour congratulated her on her executive producer credit, Johansson quickly shut it down, "I asked to have my credit removed because I wasn't involved."

Harbour joked, "You hated the movie that much?" to which Johansson laughed and clarified, "No, you're just wanting that to be the case."

In a candid sit-down interview published by Interview Magazine, she made it clear that she had nothing to do with the film, but Johansson added that she was proud of the cast and the work they did. 

Although she is now free to speak about their films, her relationship with Disney was not always smooth. The Blast reported that Johansson filed the lawsuit in July 2021, arguing that Disney's decision to debut "Black Widow" in theaters and on Disney+ at the same time violated her contract.

After two months of legal wrangling, both sides reached a settlement, but the terms were kept confidential. Afterward, Johansson noted that she was glad the situation had been resolved and emphasized her appreciation for her long-standing relationship with Disney. 

"I am happy to have resolved our differences with Disney. I'm incredibly proud of the work we've done together over the years and have greatly enjoyed my creative relationship with the team," she shared.

Disney Studios Content Chairman Alan Bergman echoed her sentiment, saying he was pleased they reached a "mutual agreement." He praised Johansson's contributions to the Marvel Cinematic Universe and confirmed the company looked forward to continuing its work with her.

Court documents obtained by the outlet showed that Johansson alleged Disney broke their deal by releasing the film on Disney+ through its "Premier Access" tier, which charged viewers an additional $30. 

She said the film was supposed to get an exclusive theatrical release and accused Disney of prioritizing its stock price and streaming numbers, using the pandemic as a cover.

She received public support from several stars, including her "Avengers" co-star Elizabeth Olsen, who called her "brave" for standing up for herself. Gabrielle Union also backed her, criticizing Disney for what she called "gender-shaming and bullying."

Johansson may be one of Hollywood's biggest stars, but she has not always had full control over her image or her career. In an interview one year after settling her lawsuit with Disney, The Blast reported that Johansson opened up about how her early team shaped her path in the industry. She revealed:

"I was kind of being groomed in a way to be this what you call this bombshell type of actor. I was playing the other woman and this object of desire and, you know, I suddenly found myself cornered in this place, like, I couldn't get out of it."

The singer said she began to recognize her own femininity in her late teens, a turning point that only seemed to push her further into being typecast. "I think because of that trajectory that I had been sort of launched towards, I really got stuck in this," she admitted.

Johansson did not hold back when she called out the U.S. government for dragging its feet on regulating artificial intelligence, especially after finding herself at the center of a deepfake incident.

The Blast reported that earlier this year, Johansson became aware of an AI-generated video circulating online that falsely showed her and fellow actors speaking out against Kanye' Ye' West.

She claimed to have been alerted to the clip by family and friends, prompting her to speak out forcefully against the growing misuse of AI technology. "The potential for hate speech multiplied by A.I. is a far greater threat than any one person who takes accountability for it," she warned.

"There is a 1000-foot wave coming," she added, criticizing lawmakers for failing to act while other nations move to regulate the fast-growing tech.

Johansson closed by urging Congress to treat AI oversight as a top priority, calling it a "bipartisan issue that enormously affects the immediate future of humanity at large."

Scarlett Johansson may be stepping away from Marvel credits, but she is still standing tall behind the work and the people involved.