Since her introduction in The Avengers, Marvel enthusiasts have been eagerly anticipating a Black Widow standalone film. Despite being the MCU’s pioneering female superhero, predating the DCEU’s Wonder Woman by over five years, Black Widow has been confined to a supporting role within her franchise. She’s been an undercover SHIELD agent in Iron Man 2, a sidekick in The Winter Soldier, a love interest in Age of Ultron, and a turncoat in Civil War. Although portrayed by the exceptional Scarlett Johansson, Marvel has seemingly been uninterested in exploring her character in a solo film.
Black Widow’s Solo Debut: A Step Closer to Reality
However, the tide is turning. While a Black Widow movie has yet to be officially greenlit by Marvel, the studio has taken a significant step forward. They have officially hired a writer to craft the script for her solo film, marking the first crucial move towards her standalone debut within the renowned superhero mega-franchise.
Marvel Studios has enlisted Jac Schaeffer to write the film. Though not a household name, Schaeffer is a respected talent in the film industry. She wrote the 2014 Blacklist screenplay, Nasty Women, an all-female remake of the 1988 crime comedy Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. This won’t be her first gig for Disney, as she was hired to write Olaf’s Frozen Adventure, the musical short that accompanied Coco in theaters last fall.
Assuming there are no surprise appearances in other Marvel films, the solo movie will mark Johansson’s eighth portrayal of the former Russian spy. In addition to her roles in two Avengers films, two Captain America films, and one Iron Man film, she is also set to appear in Infinity War and its yet-to-be-titled sequel. Although she was Marvel’s first female superhero to hit the big screen, her solo debut will regrettably come after Captain Marvel takes flight in 2019.
Black Widow: A Deserving Heroine
It’s high time for Marvel to give Black Widow the spotlight she deserves. While appearing in seven other films may seem substantial, it has always been as a secondary character in another hero’s story. Black Widow is a captivating character with a rich backstory and a complex shared universe to explore. In every sense, she’s a reverse James Bond, who seems infinitely more relevant to the 21st century than the Cold War-era 007. This long-awaited solo movie is a triumph for Scarlett Johansson and a testament to the power and potential of the Black Widow character.
