Black Widow will further cement the legacy of Natasha Romanoff in the MCU, but fans will need to wait to see it all happen as the global pandemic derailed the release of the film to May 6, 2021. Still, anticipation is high for the Scarlett Johansson-led prequel, and this was further amplified by numerous tidbits about the film that recently surfaced.
A new batch of stills from Black Widow previously made its way online , providing fans with a fresh new look at the protagonists of the MCU film. On top of that, Johansson addressed the recent delay of the film, pointing out that "everybody wants the [movie-going] experience to feel safe."
Now, another batch of images from the MCU prequel arrived online, offering clues on a mysterious character that is not present in the film's promotion so far.
NEWS
Twitter user Bob89507867 unearthed images from 2021's Black Widow from the film's official book . The images that were leaked showcased the first look at O. T. Fagbenle's Rick Mason.
The second set of images highlights Florence Pugh's Yelena Belova and snowy action scenes featuring David Harbour's Red Guardian.
The third batch of images features more behind-the-scenes work for the film.
The last batch of stills provided another look at O. T. Fagbenle's mysterious character and the chief villain of the film, Taskmaster.
WHAT THIS MEANS
No doubt, this recent leak provides a fascinating look at the core characters of Black Widow while also highlighting the rigorous behind-the-scenes process of the film. At this point, it is a given that Black Widow is headlined by an all-star cast, but not much is currently known about O. T. Fagbenle's Rick Mason character.
Fagbenle was confirmed to be part of the main cast of Black Widow during last year's San Diego Comic-Con. The actor teased during the event that his character had a "complex relationship with Natasha Romanoff" while also hinting that romance is involved. Based on the image above, there's a chance that the sequence is happening during the past, further exploring the dynamic between the two characters.
Plot details of Black Widow are still being kept under wraps, but one of the lingering mysteries is Taskmaster's identity. Not only that, the lack of presence of Fagbenle's Mason from the promotional materials of Black Widow appears to hint that character is somewhat integral to the overall narrative. By connecting the dots, there's a strong chance that Mason and Taskmaster could very well end up as the same person after all.
This is pure speculation at this point, but there's a strong chance for Black Widow to follow that route. Given that the film is about exploring Romanoff's past, it would make narrative sense for the villain to have deep ties with the hero, and Mason certainly fits the bill.
