Scarlett Johansson Explains Why It’s the Right Time for Black Widow

For years, we’ve waited for the Black Widow movie. Literally. Natasha Romanoff first appeared in Iron Man 2 in 2010, as Natalie Rushman, to work with Tony Stark (and then Pepper Potts), before revealing her connection to Nick Fury and S.H.I.E.L.D., in order to help Tony find a cure for his palladium poisoning. From there, she was a core member of the Avengers for ten years, and still, she never had her own moment.

But now that Black Widow is set to release this November, Scarlett Johansson says that it’s the right time for Natasha’s story because, prior to this movie, we would have gotten “much more of a straight-up spy thriller.” According to ComicBook.com, images from a magazine as a preview for a Black Widow spread have surfaced online and in it, Johansson talks about why now is the best time for Nat’s own film:

There was no reason to do a Black Widow standalone film unless we could dig deep and be brave. I’m very happy with all the work we’ve done on the Marvel Studios films. I felt that Avengers: Endgame was so satisfying I wanted to make sure Black Widow would be so satisfying, not just for the fans, but also for myself, artistically and creatively, after a decade of playing this character. This film gives the opportunity for some sort of healing and understanding as to why Natasha decides to make that ultimate sacrifice in Avengers: Endgame.

A film that shows who Natasha is and what drives her is sure going to be interesting. The Natasha we know has always been the master spy who could take on even the strongest out there, but we didn’t know much about her past, shrouded in mystery and constantly reminding us that we knew nothing that happened in Budapest.

But my excitement for Black Widow continues because Johansson went on to explain that the film isn’t just one specific comic storyline or run. Instead, it’s about giving the character her story within the confines of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and continuing her growth as the Natasha we’ve seen onscreen:

There wasn’t one specific comic or storyline that we really wanted to adapt. Black Widow as a character has had thousands of different storylines over the years, so, it wasn’t obvious what we were going to do. It had to feel like a continuation of something that we’d already started, and that we were already scratching away at. I was thinking in a very small, specific way, and Kevin Feige thinks in this really huge, unexpected way. The combination of those two approaches is what you get in the Black Widow film. Kevin Feige’s genius is that he really always thinks about what fans expect.

Black Widow is set to come out November 6th now, and I can’t wait. I’ve been waiting for a while, and getting to see how her journey changes and shapes her in order for the sacrifice she makes in Avengers: Endgame to really hit home is going to be emotional, and I can’t wait to go on this journey with Natasha Romanoff.

(image: Marvel Entertainment)

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