After months of anticipation, we finally know when Marvel’s upcoming Black Widow solo film will be set.
Over the weekend, the cast of the highly-anticipated blockbuster appeared at Comic-Con in San Diego and confirmed that the Scarlett Johansson vehicle will take place in Budapest between Captain America: Civil War and Avengers: Infinity War.
It comes as no surprise to fans that Black Widow will be a prequel considering the character – SPOILER ALERT! – sacrificed herself in Avengers: Endgame to save the universe. Sounds dramatic, but true.
“I get to play Natasha as a fully realised woman and in all of her many facets,” Johansson said at the convention. “I’m excited for fans to see the flawed side of her, what she perceives to be the flawed side of her.
“I’m looking to wipe out some of that red in my ledger so you guys will be seeing more of that.”
Cate Shortland – who will be the first solo woman to direct a Marvel film – also teased: “I think that’s what drew me to the story, she’s got so many secrets, she’s got so much vulnerability and I think that’s what makes her such a great heroine.
“In this film we get to understand her past and put the pieces of herself together and come out a whole person.”
It was also revealed that Academy Award winner Rachel Weisz will portray Melina, a seasoned spy trained from the Red Room, the same place Widow learnt how to become one of the greatest assassins in the world.
Midsommar star Florence Pugh will play her arch-nemesis and “sister figure” Yelena Belova, while Looking actor O.T. Fagbenle steps into the role of Rick Mason, Natasha’s ally and love interest.
David Harbour – who currently plays Sheriff Hopper in Stranger Things – will play Alexei Shostakov / Red Guardian, the “Russian super-soldier counterpart to Captain America”.
Popular Marvel villain Taskmaster will be the primary antagonist of the film.
Black Widow has so far appeared in seven films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe – Iron Man 2, The Avengers, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame.
The latter recently became the highest-grossing film in history and received universal acclaim.
News of a solo Black Widow film comes as a massive relief to fans, especially those who – like us at GAY TIMES – are disappointed with the lack of female representation in the comic book movie genre.
Captain Marvel became the franchise’s first female-led superhero film earlier this year, and became the first female comic book film to gross over a billion dollars at the worldwide box office.
DC’s Wonder Woman also experienced enormous success at the box office, and was named the number one superhero movie of all time by Rotten Tomatoes, so… it shows women can lead their own comic book adventure.
Black Widow will be released in cinemas worldwide on 1 May 2020.
