Scarlett Johansson Says Black Widow Heavily Revolves Around Family Drama

Phase 4 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is currently on hold due to the virus pandemic. One notable development that sent shockwaves to MCU fans was the delayed release of Black Widow to theaters worldwide. While no word has been given regarding the new release date of the film, rumors suggest that the film is still on track to be released in theaters down the line. Even so, fans have been engaged in an ongoing debate over whether the film should be released on Disney+ instead, which was  supported by Red Guardian-actor David Harbour. Moreover, all of the trailers for Black Widow suggest that the film will be centered on the theme of family as it heavily features Natasha's family members from the Red Room - including Yelena Bolova, the aforementioned Red Guardian, and Melena Vostokoff. And now, a new report has teased how the film will be centered on these characters.

NEWS

Based on an interview with Total Film, Scarlett Johansson, who plays Natasha Romanoff in the film, revealed that "one of the themes of the film is family." She also teased how the film is set to revolve around that particular theme by defining how it affects the characters: 

“What is family? How does it define us? How does our past define us? How does our family – however we define it – make up who we are, for better or worse?”

Johansson also praised the unpredictability of Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige when it comes to creating a film that can surprise fans. 

"I think part of Kevin Feige's genius is that he always thinks about what fans expect out of these films and then gives them something that they never could've dreamed of. The idea of Natasha Romanoff in a family drama is the least expected thing, and I had to wrap my head around what that was going to be because there's such a big tonal shift.”

“I think from the very beginning when we first started talking about doing this standalone film, there was no reason to do it unless we could really dig deep and be brave and go there."

WHAT THIS MEANS

Marvel Studios is known to take risks when introducing a new franchise to the MCU. Over the years, they have continually redefined the superhero genre and Black Widow seems to be continuing this trend. Seeing Natasha in a family drama gives fans a fresh new take for the character, considering that Romanoff's other major interactions had been solely focused on the other Avengers. It has already been confirmed that flashbacks will be a major part of Black Widow, and this serves as an opportunity for viewers to see the development of how Natasha evolved throughout the years from her first family to her current family of heroes. 

Johansson already teased last year that the character "has a lot of trauma and has led an unexamined life." Given that the film will offer a deep dive into Natasha's past, it will be interesting to see how her relationship with her past family has defined her. Hopefully, this will give us a more clear explanation of her motivations during her sacrifice in Vormir during Avengers: Endgame.