After unplanned delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Marvel's Black Widow will finally see the light of day when it hits theaters and Disney+ Premier on July 9, 2021. The film is to be Scarlett Johansson's swan song as it offers Natasha Romanoff a final appearance in the MCU following the events of Avengers: Endgame. Black Widow takes place before the cataclysmic events of the last two Avengers films so the movie will give some insights into Natasha's past and will reportedly cause ripples for the future of the MCU. Saying goodbye is always hard to do and after playing the character for over a decade. Johannson considers her MCU future and contemplates if she will ever get to return as Black Widow.
When discussing her feelings about leaving the role behind "Total Film Magazine", the actress said "It's definitely bittersweet because I love my Marvel family. I'm never going to be ready to not be a part of it. They'll always be my family. I'll never feel ready to not be in it because I hate to feel like I'm missing out on stuff with them. And who knows? Maybe at some point, we'll have some opportunity to collaborate in some other kind of way."
If this is to be Natasha's official swan song, Johansson is very proud of the film they got to make. She all feels very positive about moving on from this current chapter for the character:
"It was certainly wonderful to be able to produce this with them, because I got to really know the process, and know them in a whole other intimate way. It was very exciting. At the same time, I really feel good about moving on from this chapter. I feel incredibly proud of this film. It's so strong. It turned out so beautifully. It has so much love in it. Everything in it has intention and purpose. And, you know, I will always love Natasha. I've loved to play her, and I feel that she stands alone in this universe in a way that I feel really good about."
One thing is certain, Johannson is more than happy to pass the torch to Florence Pugh's Yelena Belova. Judging from her closing comments on the matter, that seemed to be the plan all along.
"I definitely felt that way from the very beginning. She stands completely on her own. She's strong and different. She's so different to Natasha. You also see the generational difference, too, in how they react to things, and what they're careful about, or what they're careless about. It's so fresh, what she does. It's very representative, also, of who she is as a person. She's unapologetic, and confident in herself, and curious, and brave, and emotionally brave – far more than I ever was. And that stuff comes through. It's wonderful to feel like you're witnessing something great happening."
I definitely admire Scarlett Johansson's passion for playing the character and also her being honest about wanting to go out on top if this has to be her last moment in the MCU. She certainly has had one hell of a run and Black Widow certainly looks like the perfect send-off for the first lady of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
What future, if any, do YOU think Scarlett Johannson has with the MCU after Black Widow?