Scarlet Johansson expects Marvel could call on Gwyneth Paltrow for the rest of her natural-born life

The Marvel Cinematic Universe may be the kind of club you can never leave. Chris Evans is still being asked if he’ll return as Captain America, despite the fact that his character arc concluded in Avengers: Endgame and there’s a whole new Captain America in the MCU. Scarlet Johansson at least has the protection of an onscreen death (though superheroes are always being resurrected, so who knows), but her co-star Gwyneth Paltrow could be brought back as Pepper Potts at any moment.

“I’m done. Chapter is over. I did all that I had to do,” Johansson shared during a recent appearance on The Goop Podcast. “Also coming back and playing a character again and again, over a decade of time, is such a unique experience.” Paltrow agreed that she was probably also done, though she noted, “I mean, I didn’t die so they can always ask me.”

“I think you may come back at some point,” Johansson said, prompting Paltrow to joke, “Really? A 64-year-old Pepper Potts? How great.” The Iron Man star probably shouldn’t give the studio any ideas, as Johansson said, “100% that’s happening. I can see it. They’re never gonna let you go. Break out that wig, baby.”

Truthfully, Paltrow probably wouldn’t even realize it if she had filmed another MCU appearance at this point. But Marvel loves a good cameo, so Johansson probably isn’t far off the mark. Take Hayley Atwell, for instance: since originating the role of Peggy Carter in Captain America: The First Avengers, she’s gotten a spin-off, had several flashback cameos, appeared in old age makeup, died, and played an alternate universe version of herself (multiple times). Once the MCU has its claws in, it’s definitely reluctant to let go.

One thing that can be said about Paltrow’s Marvel tenure, at least, is that it did not prompt a feud with Scarlett Johansson. Apparently, Paltrow gets asked a lot if they were beefing on the set of Iron Man 2, which surprised the Black Widow star. “Is that a rumor?” she asked. “You were so nice to me on that movie. I was so petrified. You were so nice to me! You could’ve been awful. I was so out of my comfort zone on that movie. I’d never done anything like that before. Plus, you had established such deep friendships.”

For her part, Paltrow “was so happy to have another woman around,” and she certainly related to Johansson’s feeling of overwhelm. “It was fun to be in something that resonated so deeply with people culturally,” she reflected on launching the MCU with Iron Man. “I had never been in that kind of a blockbuster franchise thing either. It was new for me.” Now that it’s old hat, though, it sounds like she’s ready to hang up her suit.