Just over three weeks remain until Marvel Studios brings Scarlett Johansson's Black Widow to theaters and Disney+, which will be the first MCU movie release in just over two full years. After sitting on the movie through most of the pandemic, Marvel is ramping up its promotional tour almost daily to bring back substantial hype for the franchise's 24th theatrical outing.
While this movie is technically in Phase 4, it will be telling a story set squarely in Phase 3 with Natasha Romanoff going on the run after the events of 2016's Captain America: Civil War. This timeframe for Black Widow gives Marvel the opportunity to expand on a narrative already set in stone by giving previously unknown details to fill in the aftermath of a movie that came five full years ago.
This appears to have been on the filmmakers' minds too, according to the most recent chat surrounding this release.
BLACK WIDOW COMES WITH EASTER EGGS
In a recent release from Screen Rant, Black Widow star/producer Scarlett Johansson revealed that Natasha Romanoff's vest from Avengers: Infinity War is the same one worn by Yelena Belova in this movie. Additionally, the idea to make this the case came from Marvel CCO Kevin Feige.
Johansson called it a very "important" and "unique" aspect of both heroines' characters, describing it to be "totally a Kevin Feige thing."
She continued to express how Feige "loves all of that backstory stuff" and enjoys including "things that connect characters to one another in the story." The vest is genuinely described as "an heirloom," which Feige was able to make so by thinking of "all the little hidden things" that come in these films:
"Well it actually is an important thing. It seems very superficial, but it actually is very unique, it’s a very meaningful thing. That’s totally a Kevin Feige thing. He loves all of that backstory stuff and things that connect characters to one another.
When we designed it then, it was really just a different look for the character, but it’s fun how Kevin’s mind works in this - he’s like an imagineer in that way, where he thinks of all the little hidden things that people will give, things that are seemingly innocuous, some heart. It’s an heirloom, it becomes an heirloom in this unexpected, funny way."
BLACK WIDOW FANS WERE RIGHT ALL ALONG
When Florence Pugh's Yelena Belova first appeared through the promotional material for Black Widow, fans immediately noticed that her green vest looked eerily similar to Natasha's from 2018's Avengers: Infinity War. Not only is this now confirmed to be the case, but Kevin Feige himself is said to be the mastermind behind the sentimental gesture.
Feige's fingerprints have been all over the MCU since its inception in 2008, meaning there are likely more of his Infinity Saga Easter eggs like this littered throughout the film. His genius continues to prove itself time and time again by finding a way to add to Natasha Romanoff's story through this highly-anticipated prequel.
The biggest question that remains now is what leads Yelena Belova to bestow her vest upon Natasha through their adventure together.
Natasha is known to rejoin Steve Rogers' secret Avengers team in Infinity War donning Yelena's vest, while Yelena's path in Black Widow is still unknown before she joins Jeremy Renner in Hawkeye on Disney+. Knowing how strong the relationship between Yelena and Nat is in this outing, fans will be paying close attention to this piece of clothing as the story unfolds.
Black Widow will debut in theaters and on Disney+ on July 9.
