Black Widow marketing is reaching a fever pitch.
While the initial teaser trailer for Scarlett Johansson's debut solo flick is well over a year old by now, Marvel Studios has shown that they still have plenty of surprises in their arsenal for their long-awaited return to cinemas.
Between fresh character posters, updated TV spots, and official still images, Natasha Romanoff's homecoming has fans' undivided attention.
DISNEY RELEASES NEW BLACK WIDOW STILLS
She's not alone.
While Black Widow is set to spotlight Scarlett Johansson's Natasha Romanoff, the MCU's resident spy has her share of friends and foes to share the screen with. Disney officially released eight new still images from the upcoming film, showcasing Natasha, Taskmaster, and more.
The mysterious Taskmaster takes center stage, standing atop a vehicle.
Presumably in the same area as Taskmaster, an unidentified biker races around the streets.
Scarlett Johansson's Natasha Romanoff speaks with O-T Fagbenle's Rick Mason inside a hospital.
Mason, in the same clothes, looks off in the distance outside.
Romanoff, in her white Black Widow suit, is joined by David Harbour's Red Guardian and Florence Pugh's Yelena Belova.
Rachel Weisz's Melina Vostokoff, a former Black Widow, aims a sniper at an unknown target.
Romanoff stands on a snow-covered ledge, aiming a rifle at a target below.
With his hood down, Taskmaster unleashes his Black Panther-esque claws.
ALL EYES ON NATASHA
It's starting to feel real.
With all the delays Black Widow went through, fans almost became numb to the release date shifts. With the marketing campaign as active as it has ever been, it's finally setting in that this movie is coming out, and coming out soon.
These still images don't hint at much to do with the film's overall plot. Taskmaster's Panther claws have been a known feature for over a year, Natasha's reunion with Belova and Guardian has been long documented, and Vostokoff's expertise with weaponry has been flaunted in past trailers.
That said, these images do offer new ideas behind O-T Fagbenle's Rick Mason. In the comics, Mason is simply known as "Agent" and operates in affiliation with SHIELD. He is also the son of Tinkerer on the page, a character that appears in 2017's Spider-Man: Homecoming. Considering Fagbenle is only three years younger than Michael Chernus, the MCU's Tinkerer, it's doubtful that their relation will translate to the screen.
Mason appears to be concerned with Natasha's well-being in the first photo he appears in. He is rumored to be a romantic interest for the Russian spy, but it remains to be seen whether the two have a history or are pursuing a future relationship.
The final noteworthy still comes in the trio shot of Guardian, Belova, and Romanoff. They walk away from a downed plane, which appears to have been grounded for some time. It's unclear whether the family crash-landed the plane or are simply passing it, but based on its appearance, it is likely the latter.
Black Widow hits theaters and Disney+'s premium tier on July 9.
MCU Writer, Editor, Podcaster
