Black Widow's Support
Thursday, April 4, 2019 at 12:20AM 
"Get me the best supporting cast possible!"To be honest we never thought a solo Black Widow movie was going to happen but the success of Black Panther and Captain Marvel has definitely convinced Marvel Studios that the future is with diversity (It took them long enough and will be embarassing forever that they couldn't be bothered to risk a female superhero until after DC proved the 'no-duh' appeal of female leads via Wonder Woman). Regardless of their motivations and sluggishness the Black Widow standalone is definitely on the fast-track now with new casting announcements.
So far we've got the always reliable David Harbour (thank god that Stranger Things woke people up to his talent!), the fast-rising Florence Pugh (so excellent in Lady Macbeth two years back and currently headlining Fighting With My Family), and there are rumors that Rachel Weisz is also coming on board. The cast sounds very promising...
That said we do worry a bit about the movie. It's ideal window was surely 2015 or 2016 (post Winter Soldier) when Black Widow was still a character everyone BUT Marvel wanted more-more-more of. Yet in the past few years or so she's gone from everyone's favourite solo Avenger movie dream to a character people like to grouse about online. What a difference a handful of years, a couple of press blunders for ScarJo, and the fickle cycles of fandom make! Still we hope they pull it off because Scarlett Johansson has been one of the most singular actresses working since the days of Ghost World (2001) and people need to be reminded of why they once loved her so much. Yes, we here at TFE would prefer it if she did that via a series of new Under the Skin, Lost in Translation, or Don Jon level acting-challenge curveballs but she seems happy to play in the big budget mainstream sandboxes for now.
I'm sorry did I step on your moment?
It might be strange to see the character with a solo movie in Phase Four since the OG Avengers might well feel passé after the dust settles from Avengers Endgame given all the "new" heroes, and especially since the movie will reportedly be set in Natasha's pre-Avengers days but better late than never!
Marvel is clearly waiting until after Endgame ends Phase Three to get more specific about their post Endgame plans but we know that the following two films are in the casting phase and thus likely to be the next pictures after Spider-Man: Far From Home.
- Black Widow (TBA) Scarlett headlining with Cate Shortland (Lore, Somersault) directing
- Eternals (TBA) Angelina Jolie in talks to headline with Chloe Zhao (The Rider) directing
The following have been announced but don't have dates
- Doctor Strange 2
- Black Panther 2
- Shang-Chi
- Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Are you still rooting for ScarJo?
Reader Comments (18)
She deserves her own film, but they'll really have to rise to the occasion to pull it off.
ehh, she’s a key character in the avengers films but her character does not scream for a film about her.
I’d much rather have a standalone drama/thriller about a Soviet Spy with Scarlett Johansson than a Marvel film about black widow tbh. The stakes won’t be high and Marvel films willonly go so dark.
I was really hoping for Jena Malone to play the main antagonist as I feel like Scarlett should have an equal to play against. Let's just hope Elizabeth Olsen will return as Scarlet Witch to be Black Widow's right-hand woman and moral compass.
Don’t forget about Her :-)
thevoid99 -- the movie takes place during her KGB years so cameos from Marvel heroes are highly improbable.
I am definitely ready for this. ScarJo is a fantastic, badass action hero. I hope they also give her decent lines bc in most Marvel movies, she just gets to emote.
Glad you’ve mentioned Florence Pugh several times recently on this site. She is my favorite young actress of late, with a mesmerizing screen presence and formidable range. For those unconvinced or uninformed, watch her up against Michael Shannon in Little Drummer Girl or Anthony Hopkins in King Lear. Can’t wait to see her with Saoirse Ronan and company in Little Women.
Where in the timeline was BW in the KGB? That'd be before she showed up in IRON MAN 2 at least, so pre-2010. The 2000s? They could always cram Captain Marvel into that time-frame -- she was around then. Well technically we don't know where Carol was between the end of that movie and the credits scene where she shows up answering SLJ's page -- they'd have to address Natasha and Carol knowing each other immediately though, since the last we've seen is the two of them face to face. ANYWAY point being I think technically there is one "Avenger" who could show up in that time-line to boost its connection to the MCU if they wanted to. Unless somebody can prove me wrong, which wouldn't surprise me -- I just wrote a lot for not considering myself an expert!
So an Oscar nomination does make you visible to casting directors,Wiesz is always game for fun.
I'm so bored with these movies! I couldn't care less if they're attracting top talent. Look how much good that did for Annette Bening fans: "Rachel Weisz might have tiny role in a movie I'll never see...but we'll get to fawn over her character poster for a hot minute."
Yes, the diversity improvements are good. But neither Wonder Woman nor Black Panther lifted the franchises out of their tired, played-out, garish, shallow genre conventions. The difference is now Marvel/DC can trick critics/Twitter into treating their movies like "prestige fare."
Also, Scarlett Johansson hasn't had a good role in 5-6 years and I blame MCU.
Jason: Because of his gimmick, they could also, at least theoretically, justify putting Deadpool in there, at least for a scene. Essentially: "Even though his movies are set in the 90s, he's not bound by the fourth wall and knows pop-culture up to now." That's silly and kind of convoluted, but comics are REALLY silly and VERY convoluted. Also: Because the villain is supposedly Taskmaster, pretty easy justification, honestly. Here's my summary for how I'd do the movie: Black Widow gets beat, hard, in Act 1, and keeps asking how to beat this guy. A mole in the KGB actually working with SHIELD (Florence Pugh, Siryn) points her to him sometime in the middle of the physical rehabilitation that forms the first half of Act 2. Deadpool's "Training in Crazy" forms the second half of Act 2. More intimate than normal Act 3 fight, victory, denouement, switch to SHIELD, done. Done well, I'd say you've got a pretty good to great $70-90 million movie there that also sets up some pieces of the angle for "MCU X-Men."
@Anon
I'm with you. MCU contract made her missing great parts for sure due to productions obligations (she had to play Black Widow as many times as they wish in the number of movies she signed for), but at least IRON MAN 2 and THE AVENGERS put her back under the radar back in 2010 and 2012. Remember her 2007-2009 + 2011 movies? THE NANNY DIARIES, THE SPIRIT, THE OTHER BOLEYN GIRL, HE'S JUST NOT THAT INTO YOU or WE BOUGHT A ZOO? Awful! She might lost her Oscary role in the last 7 years, but at least she didn't faded as a movie star. Fingers crossed for JOJO RABBIT and NOAH BAUMBACH UNTITLED PROJECT
I find it sad that this is now considered the peak of success for a woman - starring in a cartoon.
I love Black Widow and she 100% deserves her own movie, shes been my favourite person in the MCU ever since her first appearence and Im so happy that shes finally getting a standal0one film. Ive been rooting for this ever since 2010.
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