After a long hiatus, the Marvel Cinematic Universe will finally return to the big screen, and Black Widow will serve as the first cinematic entry from the franchise's massive Phase 4 slate.
Directed by Cate Shortland, Black Widow will showcase the first solo adventure of Scarlett Johansson's Natasha Romanoff alongside key allies in the form of her Russian family from the Red Room. The upcoming film will be different from its predecessors, since it is a prequel set in between the events of Captain America: Civil War and Avengers: Infinity War.
Johansson said that the major theme of Black Widow revolves around family, with Nat seemingly being forced to form an alliance with former friends to take down the Red Room once and for all. Marketing for the film revealed that the reunion will not be easy, especially after it was confirmed that Taskmaster is pursuing them relentlessly.
Now, a preview of the bittersweet catch-up with Nat's family has surfaced.
A RED ROOM FAMILY REUNION
A brand new clip from Black Widow was released during the latest episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live.
The footage continues from the previously-released clip showcasing the reunion of Natasha Romanoff's Russian family from the Red Room, which includes Florence Pugh's Yelena Belova, David Harbour's Alexei Shostakov a.k.a. Red Guardian, and Rachel Weisz's Melina Vostokoff.
In the clip, Alexei shows his excitement towards the reunion while Melina insists that they are not a "together" anymore, indicating that they were only together for "three years." Natasha agrees, but Alexei interjects by praising Melina's looks and flirting with her. In the background, Yelena takes a shot, seemingly ignoring the conversation.
THE DYNAMIC OF BLACK WIDOW'S FAMILY
This latest clip managed to provide a glimpse of the fun dynamic of Nat's past allies. Given that this is the first time that Nat's family will be featured in a prominent role, Black Widow creates an opportunity to take a deep dive into the character's past through her interactions with the likes of Yelena and Melina.
The uneasy alliance can be felt while watching this clip, and it seems that David Harbour's Alexei will serve as the unexpected glue that holds them together on this dangerous mission. Melina's motherly attitude can also be seen here, and it appears that Nat is the big sister to Yelena. The scene perfectly sets up the dynamic of Nat's Russian family.
It is unknown if other members of Nat's family will return in a future MCU project, but it is expected that at least one of them will be featured again at some point. The lone candidate is Florence Pugh's Yelena, mainly due to the different teases from past interviews and rumors about the character's future.
It seems that the protagonist's fight against the Red Room will eventually transform Nat's decision-making heading into the last two Avengers films, but it could also potentially change the mindset of Yelena moving forward.
All will be revealed when Black Widow premieres in theaters and on Disney+ on July 9, 2021.
