Eye-catching new images of Scarlett Johansson were released on unused versions of Black Widow posters.
Similarly, a Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness alternative poster was recently revealed, highlighting a key story difference from the final cut of the film.
The first MCU film post-Avengers: Endgame, Black Widow's marketing was a struggle, battling the delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Originally set to release on May 1, 2020, the original theatrical poster featured the full frame of Natasha Romanoff in a sleek black combat suit.
New Look At Scarlett Johansson's Black Widow
Newly-surfaced unused Black Widow poster designs show off Scarlett Johansson starring in her one and only solo MCU film.
The first unfinished poster focuses on Johansson's face, ready for action, while also highlighting Taskmaster, Florence Pugh's Yelena Belova, David Harbour's Red Guardian, and Rachel Weisz's Melina.
The next poster is clearly outdated, highlighting the previous May 1 release date. What makes this promotional art unique is it is a character poster solely featuring Natasha Romanoff.
Taking a page out of Star Wars' iconic posters featuring Darth Vader lurking in the shadows, this poster shows Taskmaster menacingly looking over her shoulder.
This version also shows O-T Fagbenle's Rick Mason but does not have any tease of Ray Winstone's antagonist, Dreykov.
The following poster was the official promotional art shared with the public, showing off the full cast around Johansson, marketing the July 9, 2021 release date in theaters and on Disney+.
Will Scarlett Johansson Ever Return to the MCU?
In November 2021, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige announced that Scarlett Johansson was set to produce a Marvel Studios project.
The superstar actress recently confirmed that the MCU project she's producing is "still happening:"
"Yes. It is still happening, [but] not currently because nothing is happening right now. We’re all sort of in this holding pattern as we wait out the writers’ strike and potentially our own guild strike, and so on and so forth.”
Does that mean she will ever return as Natasha Romanoff? It's unlikely.
Even though Johansson went on the record to say she'd still work with Disney, she did sue the company for a breach in her contract related to Black Widow's release in theaters and streaming and how that impacted her earnings (she was an executive producer as well).
There are endless possibilities within the Multiverse Saga, especially with Avengers: The Kang Dynasty and Secret Wars on the horizon, but it's unclear if Natasha Romanoff will be a part of anything moving forward.
Another Black Widow, Florence Pugh's Yelena, has seemingly been handed the baton and will continue the legacy in Thunderbolts.
Black Widow is available to stream on Disney+.
