Black Widow’s story is coming to a close after over a decade in the MCU. With the hero making the ultimate sacrifice to save the universe and her closest friend in Avengers: Endgame. Black Widow allows fans to learn more about the Avenger and her time before the epic finale of the Infinity Saga.
The Illuminerdi was lucky enough to attend the Black Widow virtual press conference where both Kevin Feige and Scarlett Johansson discussed the film and this unforgettable character. Black Widow is obviously a prequel given the fact that the character died in Avengers: Endgame, but Kevin Feige explained why it is set between Civil War and Avengers: Infinity War.
“Well it meant we very specifically knew there was a large period of her life that we didn’t know about. Not just her childhood, but this period of time between Civil War and Infinity War. And that period we felt was ripe to creatively focus on to be able to discover more about her past, more about her present, and with many of the lovely people you see on this Zoom give a hint at the legacy in the future. All at the same time thanks to Cate Shortland.”
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Kevin Feige also touched upon why fans have been so interested in Black Widow’s past and credits Scarlett Johannsson’s performance.
“Because Scarlett Johannsson is an amazing performer and with each and every appearance you learn more, you saw more, and you wanted to know more. And the fact that we finally have an entire feature dedicated to that was very exciting for all of us and now that it’s coming out and people can see it, it’s even more exciting for all of us.”
SCARLETT JOHANSSON TALKS ABOUT HOW BLACK WIDOW’S DEATH IMPACTED HER PERFORMANCE
Black Widow has left an impressive impact on the MCU first appearing in Iron Man 2 over ten years ago. She has since become an Avenger and was an integral part of many MCU fan’s favorite film, Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Fans have been hoping Scarlett Johansson and Black Widow would get the chance to shine for years and the time has finally arrived.
During the Black Widow press conference, Scarlett Johansson was asked if knowing Natasha’s end informed her performance in this prequel:
“Yeah, it did. It was important I think because, for us, we started talking about this film as a more like serious possibility when we were doing I think Infinity War. And we shot Infinity War and then Endgame kind of back to back. And so, we already knew what the endgame was for Natasha. And we wanted to make sure that that was a choice that she made actively. That it felt like she had resolve then.
And so knowing that, we then had to kind of work backwards so that she could get to a place where that was possible…we knew that in this film she had to evolve into a place where she was moving forward in her life and had resolved the trauma from her past. That she felt, that that was something that she felt like a different person moving forward.”
Scarlett Johansson also shared what she hopes the defining trait of Natasha that sticks with fans is. With Black Widow being the first and for a long-time only woman in the Avengers she holds an important place in many fans’ hearts. And getting to learn more about this beloved character is a long time coming. Knowing this is the end, learning what Scarlett Johansson hopes stands out about the superhero she has embodied for years is even more impactful.
“I think Natasha, she has a lot of integrity, she has a big character. And she’s not afraid to admit when she’s wrong. She is kind of, she’s endearing that way. And I think she’s curious about herself and curious about other people. And I think it makes her stand out as superheroes go. I find her very endearing, but I’m partial.”
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And after many jokes about the famed Black Widow pose, which is something to keep an eye out for in the film, Scarlett Johansson was sure to add, “And then of course, the pose!”
With Phase Four films finally kicking off fans will have the chance to go on one final adventure with the Avenger and set up a legacy that this character deserves. Black Widow has been a long time coming and it is almost here. The movie not only dives into Black Widow’s past, in the time between Civil War and Infinity War, it also sets up a legacy for the character that is sure to last a long time.
BLACK WIDOW TRAILER AND SYNOPSIS
In Marvel Studios’ action-packed spy thriller “Black Widow,” Natasha Romanoff sks Black Widow confronts the darker parts of her ledger when a dangerous conspiracy with ties to her past arises. Pursued by a force that will stop at nothing to bring her down, Natasha must deal with her history as a spy and the broken relationships left in her wake long before she became an Avenger.
Scarlett Johansson reprises her role as Natasha/Black Widow, Florence Pugh stars as Yelena, David Harbour portrays Alexei/The Red Guardian, and Rachel Weisz is Maline. “Black Widow” – the first film in Phase Four of the Marvel Cinematic Universe – is directed by Cate Shortland and produced by Kevin Feige.
Black Widow will premiere in theaters and on Disney Plus with premier access July 9, 2021. Are you excited to finally see the next Marvel film? What will you miss about Natasha? Leave your thoughts in the comments below or on our social media and check back with The Illuminerdi for more Black Widow and MCU news.
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