At the San Diego Comic-Con which took place in July 2019, Marvel revealed the Phase 4 titles in the pipeline. After Avengers: Endgame (which is the most-seen movie of the year, even overtaking 2009’s Avatar) and Spider-Man: Far from Home which represented the end of the Infinity Saga, the Marvel Cinematic Universe revealed that Phase 4 will start with Black Widow in 2020 and will end with Thor: Love and Thunder in 2021.
It will only be a two-year phase focusing especially on the evolution of certain narrative elements of the previous phase, paving the way for further developments in 2022, when Phase 5 begins with Black Panther II.
Black Widow’s story: where are we?
As we all know, the journey of Natasha Romanoff (aka Black Widow) came to an end in the Marvel Cinematography Universe with her death in the Avengers: Endgame. Natasha sacrificed herself to save her friend Hawkeye and allow him to grab the Soul Stone on Vormir, and then destroy Thanos alongside the other Avengers.
The upcoming film will therefore be a prequel set in a time period between the end of Captain America: Civil War and Avengers: Infinity War. The story will explore the character played by Scarlett Johansson, the connection to her homeland, Russia, and it will explore the method that transformed her into one of the most lethal spies in the world.
What will happen in Black Widow?
After the events of Captain America: Civil War, this prequel will see Natasha Romanoff reunite with Yelena Belova. The Red Room training programme created by their surrogate father, General Ivan Petrovich, was designed with a clear objective in mind: to turn them both into Black Widows. The programme is still active and is managed by Melina Vostokoff who recruits young girls and trains them to become assassins. Natasha and Yelena decide that the time has come to break the chain.
Is it really the end for Black Widow?
Fans of the comic book know all too well that Natasha Romanoff is not the only Black Widow. As mentioned above, in Black Widow we’ll meet Yelena Belova, the second most famous Black Widow of the comic strip. Black Widow’s die-hard fans are already concocting a future for her character, in which she possibly undergoes an identity change.
Scarlett Johansson and her relationship with the MCU
Confirming Scarlett Johansson’s destiny in the role of Black Widow was the actress herself during an appearance on the Jimmy Fallon Talk Show in which she spoke a little about the film and its role: “Honestly, it brought a closure to me that I needed. […] People have tried to convince me that my character did not actually die, that maybe she exists in an alternate universe. But I think death is a pretty final thing”.
Scarlett Johansson assures us that Black Widow represents closure for this heroine, and claims that the movie really is this character’s swan song. To date, Scarlett Johansson has played this character 8 times, starting from Iron Man 2 in 2010 up to Avengers: Endgame.
The actress confessed: “I don’t know if I can continue without closure. It’s too hard. […] I love the MCU. I’m proud of everything we’ve achieved. Now we have to spread this magic everywhere. Share it with the audience.”
All that’s left for us to do is wait for the film to be released and, why not, give our interpretation to the more or less uncertain future of this intriguing character with a difficult past.
Black Widow is coming to a cinema near you on 1st May 2020.
And while we wait for the next Marvel instalment, you can always head over to our store, and choose the themed gadget you wish to purchase for the occasion!
