Scarlett Johansson’s Marvel character Natasha Romanoff, a.k.a. Black Widow, has been an integral part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe since first appearing in 2010’sIron Man 2. Despite being a highly skilled human on a team of augmented super-humans, Widow has held her own against all odds … but she’s yet to get her own title treatment. In a cinematic universe that won’t boast the first title superheroine until 2018’sAnt-Man and the Waspfollowed by the first solo female standalone film in 2019 withCaptain Marvel, one wonders if a soloBlack Widowfilm should have already happened.
Johansson might be wondering the same thing. In talking toTotal Film Magazinefor her upcoming role in the anticipated anime adaptationGhost in the Shell, Johansson once again addressed the possibility of starring in her own Marvel feature. It’s something that’s been discussed in2010,2014(when it was alsoofficially deniedto be part of Marvel’s plans),2015in which Johansson and Marvel’sKevin Feigechatted about it, theRusso Brothers’thoughts in 2016followed byMarvel’s commitment to it, andJohansson’s commentson just how long she’ll play the character. Let’s add 2017 to the mix, shall we?
Here’s Johansson’s latest update:
“I’ve talked to Kevin Feige about it. We’re creatively really compatible. I think we both agree that the character is right for a standalone, it’s just a case of timing at this point for both Marvel and myself.”
Timing is certainly an issue, mostly because the MCU is mapped out for years and has already scheduled projects involving an ever-increasing cast of characters well in advance. Johansson also has her own projects, a complication which she addresses below:
“Marvel has a really huge roster. They’re looking four years ahead. I also have a lot of things that I want to do. If I did it, I would dedicate myself completely to making it amazing. It would have to be the best version that movie could possibly be. Otherwise, I would never do it.”
Then, oddly, she hedges her bets a bit:
“[I] don’t know if I have the capacity for it. I think the fans were adamant about it, it could be done. It should be done, probably. It’d have to be done the right way, though. It’d really have to be its own standalone and its own style and its own story. But there’s a lot of great stuff that you could do with it. It could just be awesome.”
There’s a lot of very conditional wording in there that makes me question whether aBlack Widowfilm will ever happen and if Johansson would be starring in it. It’s possible that it could happen down the road with a new actor taking on the role in a sort of origin story (that’d be my guess), but willBlack Widowbe worth Marvel’s time without thebankable Johanssonin the role? Time will tell, but the more time that passes, the less likely this looks to happen.
Share your thoughts on the potentialBlack Widowmovie in the comments below!
