THUNDERBOLTS* Writer On Possible Scarlett Johansson Cameo And Scrapped "Sprawling And Huge" Adamantium Story

THUNDERBOLTS* Writer On Possible Scarlett Johansson Cameo And Scrapped "Sprawling And Huge" Adamantium Story

Thunderbolts* writer Eric Pearson has weighed in on whether a Scarlett Johansson cameo was considered, and also details scrapped plans for Adamantium and a version of the story set entirely in the Vault.

By JoshWilding - May 09, 2025 11:05 AM EST
Filed Under: Thunderbolts
Source: The Wrap

Like every MCU movie, Thunderbolts* went through quite a few different iterations before Marvel Studios ended up with *The New Avengers

Talking to The Wrap, Eric Pearson detailed many of them, including versions we've already told you about. Those include a story where Taskmaster didn't die and Bill Foster's return as the giant-sized Goliath. We also know that U.S. Agent very nearly Hulked out, and it turns out Adamantium was also part of the plot at one point.

Coming off Black Widow, Pearson pitched a story with "a bunch of Adamantium." However, he acknowledges, "It was wrong. But they liked the idea of putting this team together." This version of the story was "big and sprawling and huge," but Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige told the writer, "This group deserves a smaller, more contained thing."

That led Pearson down the route of telling a story set completely in the Vault where Yelena Belova, U.S. Agent, Ghost, and Taskmaster encounter Bob. "What about a 'Die Hard' thing?" Pearson says he pondered. "I really wanted to avoid doing 'Suicide Squad' again. Those movies have been done twice. The idea of an authority figure taking criminals and forcing them to do something like that, I didn’t want to do that story."

"The reverse that they are sent there to kill each other and accidentally form a team, that was fun. And then it was like, 'Well, let’s trap them below earth and basically give them a bunch of team-building exercises to escape.'" It was filmmaker Jake Schreier who then added the road trip element and final battle in New York, a pivot that helped make Thunderbolts* feel worthy of *The New Avengers title reveal.

Pearson also had a different approach to The Void—"like 'Being John Malkovich' rooms that are very realistic and grounded, with boxed-in walls"—including a moment that would have potentially allowed executive producer Scarlett Johansson to reprise her role as Natasha Romanoff, Yelena's sister.

The writer admitted they would have been "really stupid" not to have considered it, but it doesn't sound like it went any further than being an idea that was suggested and quickly forgotten. 

During a separate interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Pearson shared his take on why he doesn't believe Johansson will return to the MCU in any capacity. "I will preface by saying that I have no idea, but I don’t think so," he explained. "I feel like her end in Endgame and then her epilogue with our Black Widow prequel were so lovely."

"So I would be surprised, but I know nothing about that. I have very little knowledge of what’s going on with Doomsday right now." If a return in that or Avengers: Secret Wars is planned, then the actress will likely bow out for good after playing a Black Widow Variant. We'll see. 

Thunderbolts* *The New Avengers is now playing in theaters. 

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SonOfAGif
SonOfAGif - 5/9/2025, 11:43 AM
And people say Kevin Feige needs to go when he singlehandedly stopped this movie from being another CGI disaster. The ship has been course corrected. Daredevil Born Again S2 is about to blow us away and Fantastic 4 is going to be epic.
Malatrova15
Malatrova15 - 5/9/2025, 12:28 PM
@SonOfAGif - bs...the movie needed to adress NEW York situation after Born Again Events at the very least...ITS all conected my ass...Feige ship Is still the same continuity mess It was in when Agents of Shield was on sir
slickrickdesigns
slickrickdesigns - 5/9/2025, 11:43 AM
I feel like we already got an article with these quotes.
McMurdo
McMurdo - 5/9/2025, 11:54 AM
@slickrickdesigns - are you new here?
MakeAmericaGrea
MakeAmericaGrea - 5/9/2025, 11:53 AM
Blunderdolts* is underperforming.
ObserverIO
ObserverIO - 5/9/2025, 11:53 AM
So instead of doing a team of anti-heroes put together by a G-woman like Suicide Squad they had a team of anti-heroes that were put in a situation that they had to get out of together and formed a bond like GOTG and THEN became a team of anti-heroes put together by a G-woman like in Suicide Squad.
McMurdo
McMurdo - 5/9/2025, 11:56 AM
@ObserverIO - yes.
WEAPONXOXOXO
WEAPONXOXOXO - 5/9/2025, 11:57 AM
User Comment Image
Lisa89
Lisa89 - 5/9/2025, 12:03 PM
Wow. I hope I look as good as Julia Louis-Dreyfus when I'm 64.
TheVisionary25
TheVisionary25 - 5/9/2025, 12:08 PM
Interesting…

I’m assuming one of the reasons they weren’t allowed to do the Adamantium story was that BNW was already introducing & using it as a plot point.

Anyway , I’m glad we got more relatively small scale & personal story with these characters in contrast to Cap 4 which was already the more sprawling location hopping film I feel aswell as DP & W that dealt with the multiverse…

That more contained nature of the story allowed us to really focus in on the characters & their journey which made the film as solid as it was imo!!.
bobevanz
bobevanz - 5/9/2025, 12:09 PM
Love it. This too!
dragon316
dragon316 - 5/9/2025, 12:53 PM
Another picture her tongue out

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