In Thunderbolts*, Florence Pugh plays the adopted sister of the late Black Widow. However, the actress would have preferred to spend more time with Scarlett Johansson in the MCU.
Florence Pugh made her Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) debut as Yelena Belova in the 2021 Black Widow solo film. She was introduced as the tough adoptive sister of the Avengers heroine, who has to come to terms with her dysfunctional family.
Following Black Widow’s death in the MCU, Pugh’s character leads the current Marvel blockbuster Thunderbolts* without Natasha Romanoff. However, the actress would have preferred things to be different.
Florence Pugh is struggling to come to terms with Scarlett Johansson’s departure from the MCU
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the actress talked about how she feels about the MCU without Johansson in the role of mentor:
I owe my entire journey with Marvel to Scarlett’s trust and her desire to have me in her film [Black Widow] six years ago. That’s why I always miss her presence. It was so cruel … that [Black Widow] was the first and last time I got to experience that world with her. But I just hope she’s proud.
After Black Widow’s death in Avengers 4: Endgame, Johansson has definitely finished her acting career with the MCU. She could only imagine a comeback in zombie or vampire form. As a producer, she was at least still involved in Thunderbolts*. However, she doesn’t seem to have spent much time with lead actress Florence Pugh in this role.
When will Thunderbolts* be available to stream on Disney+?
An exact release date for the Marvel film’s streaming debut is not yet known. Based on previous MCU releases, we expect it to be in late July or early August.
The MCU continues in theaters on July 24, 2025, with The Fantastic Four: First Steps, which will give the famous superhero team a reboot in the comic book movie franchise.
