It feels like we’ve been waiting forever, but on July 9 we will finally get to see the next feature from the Marvel Cinematic Universe when Black Widow comes to both theaters and Disney+. The Avengers’ resident spy will finally get her time in the spotlight as she explores her dark past and comes face to face with a new threat.
Natasha Romanoff has always had an air of mystery about her. From when she first deceived Tony Stark in Iron Man 2, to the talk of the “red in her ledger” in Avengers, to the talk of the Red Room in Avengers: Age of Ultron, there as always been a long history to this character that we haven’t really gotten the chance to explore. That will change when we finally get to see this film.
Set after the events of Captain America: Civil War, we will see what life was like for Natasha after she betrayed Tony and had to go on the run until Avengers: Infinity War. Natasha will explore her past and even get reacquainted with her family, which was probably not in her plans. But, as you would expect with the infamous Black Widow, this is not just going to be a happy family reunion. She’s also going to draw the attention of the villainous Taskmaster, who has the ability to copy the fighting style and skills of anyone he sees.
What could this film mean for the future of the MCU? With Widow dying during Avengers: Endgame, it’s clear she won’t be in future plans for Marvel Studios (although, never say never). There are some other characters featured in this film who could have a role to play going forward. Most notably, Yelena Belova, Natasha’s sister. Yelena is the second Black Widow and could fill that role in the future, whether it be for the Avengers or perhaps some other team. She is already set to appear in the upcoming Hawkeye series coming to Disney+.
Another character that could have a role to play in the MCU going forward is the aforementioned Taskmaster. The villain has acted as more of an anti-hero in several instances in the comics and is even a member of the reformed super villain team known as the Thunderbolts. It’s possible we see this character turn over a new leaf in some capacity after the events of Black Widow. So even though the title character may not have a future in the MCU, the movie could have an impact on the story yt to be told.
Like so many other movies set to debut this summer, Black Widow has been delayed quite a bit. Originally slated to debut in theaters on May 1, 2020, it was first delayed to November 6, 2020. The next move brought the film to May 7, 2021. The third and final delay, which came down just last month, moved the film to July 9. The movie is also set to debut on Disney+ with Premier Access on the same date as its theatrical release.
Cast:
- Scarlett Johansson as Natasha/Black Widow
- Florence Pugh as Yelena
- David Harbour as Alexei/The Red Guardian
- Rachel Weisz as Melina