The hype for Black Widow is ramping up. While the current coronavirus crisis has seemingly put the film's release date in jeopardy, it's still set to be the next MCU project released to the world. All of the trailers have now been released and press has started to ramp up, and thanks to an interview with Empire magazine , fans have gotten to hear about what this movie means to the Black Widow herself, Scarlett Johansson.
NEWS
Director Cate Shortland didn't give much away in terms of the movie's plot, but it's clear she cares deeply about telling Natasha Romanoff's story right. She told Empire :
"The timing was really liberating. I wanted to give her justice. It gave us this feeling like, ‘I’ve got one chance and I really want people to understand her and to feel empathy for her,’ because often what you see is a very fetishised construct. We wanted to get under her skin.”
Later in the article, Scarlett Johansson shared her feelings on how playing this role and being an integral part of the MCU has affected her life:
“I don’t really have the perspective on it yet. I think it will take some time for it to sink in. It’s been such a constant in my life for a decade of time. Every 18 months, coming back to this family and continuing the journey with everyone… I think we all probably have mixed feelings about it, at least in specific scenes, but I really had a sense of accomplishment [after shooting finished on Black Widow ]. I feel like I tried it all this time around. I really got to go to all those uncomfortable places and explore certain recesses of her.”
WHAT THIS MEANS
It's safe to say that the sentiments Johansson expressed are shared by many Marvel fans. Black Widow is a popular character, but Marvel Studios has been criticized by some fans for not fully exploring her character as much as they have for her male counterparts. Her death in Avengers: Endgame also sparked a certain level of controversy for not providing the heroine a proper farewell. MCU fans have been clamoring for a Black Widow solo film for years now, and fortunately from what Johansson said here it sounds like it will deliver on character development and showcase Natasha Romanoff to her true potential.
Notably, Johansson's quote seems to imply that, like many fans have speculated after the events of Avengers: Endgame , Black Widow will be the final outing in the MCU for Natasha Romanoff and, conequently, Scarlett Johansson. It's clear the actress - who also helped produce the film - is very passionate about this project, and it potentially being her last with the franchise probably amplifies this sentiment. Hopefully Black Widow will prove to be a fitting send-off for both the character and the actor portraying her, and deliver on its promises to finally give fans the movie they've been awaiting for so many years.
