Marvel fans are finally able to return to a sense of normalcy thanks to the release of a new trailer for the MCU's 24th solo movie, Black Widow. Originally meant to debut nearly a year ago before the pandemic, the most recent schedule change seemed to give this film a definitive timeline for arrival now that it will simultaneously debut in theaters and on Disney+.
With just about four months remaining until its debut, Marvel Studios is ramping up promotion again as star/producer Scarlett Johansson's first, and possibly only, MCU solo movie expands on Natasha Romanoff's legacy. The most recent trailer highlights that legacy in a number of ways with a revamped Avengers theme song, short clips from past MCU movies, and small teases for the story.
Part of that story is something that fans have wanted to see since this project was first announced: a deep look into Natasha Romanoff's past.
BEFORE I WAS AN AVENGER...
The new trailer for Marvel Studios' Black Widow showcases a look at Natasha Romanoff's childhood before she became the Russian assassin-turned-Avenger. These shots give a tease of what her life was like with multiple other characters from the movie before going into the Red Room.
Actress Ever Anderson is confirmed to be playing a young Natasha Romanoff. She sports mostly blue hair in her youth with just a hint of red in the middle, teasing her classic look as an adult.
A shot shows young Natasha Romanoff standing distressed in front of David Harbour's Alexei Shostakov. This could be her earliest introduction to the dangerous individuals in her home country.
David Harbour's Alexei Shostakov looking at Natasha, and likely holding a young Yelena Belova at the bottom of the frame. He proclaims that his girls "are the toughest girls in the world," suggesting Alexei is very much a father figure to Natasha and Yelena.
Melina Vostokov is shown driving with a young Natasha in the back seat. Reports have described Weisz playing a sort of motherly figure for Natasha, which is showcased in this shot. Shortly after this scene, the trailer cuts to present-day Melina telling Natasha "I'm sorry. We had our orders, and we played our roles."
Present-day Natasha reminiscing on old Christmas photos of herself and Yelena together. It's becoming more evident that the two bonded as sisters before Nat joined Earth's Mightiest Heroes.
A quick shot shows young Yelena Belova screaming in front of Natasha. While it's unclear exactly what's happening plot-wise, this feels like a turning point in their childhood together.
We see two hands being pulled apart by an officer-type figure. This scene could very likely be Yelena's last time seeing Natasha during their youth.
NAT'S YOUTH TEASED FOR HER SOLO MOVIE
When Scarlett Johansson finally got her first solo movie within the MCU, fans immediately wanted the story to include part of her life from before she first arrived in 2010's Iron Man 2. Now that the marketing campaign for Black Widow is kicking back into gear, Marvel Studios is granting that wish in full by teasing that time for this highly-anticipated film.
Ever Anderson filmed these scenes when she was 11 years old, indicating Natasha will be about that age as well during these sequences from her childhood. It will be quite the trip seeing how she is first taken into the Black Widow program by either Red Guardian, Melina Vostokoff, or both as she begins her training.
As expected, these scenes don't exactly paint a happy childhood for a woman who has spoken of the torture she went through in the Red Room during past MCU adventures. This is obviously not only physical but emotional, as she builds a familial bond with Yelena Belova before it's seemingly all taken away from her in an instant.
One of the more interesting pieces of dialogue from the trailer comes from Melina as she says "I'm sorry. We had our orders and we played our roles," with Nat responding "that wasn't real." It's unclear exactly what these "orders" and "roles" are, but Melina's quote suggests that she may have been the cause of a traumatic moment in Natasha's childhood, perhaps the separation of her and Yelena.
Nat could have gone through so much pain that she shut out those memories as she avenged her own past through her MCU adventures, but there is potentially much more than that. Whatever the case may be, fans are ecstatic to finally see Nat's childhood as she faces her past and fights for her life.
Black Widow will debut in theaters and on Disney+ on July 9, 2021.
