Black Widow is a fan favourite in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Black Widow’s first appearance in Iron Man 2 painted her as strong capable combatant. And her part in Avengers further solidified this image of her. Despite not having superpowers, she is a more than equally proficient member of the team.
Of the character, actress Scarlett Johansson, who portrays the role has stated,
“The Black Widow character resonated with me… [She] is a superhero, but she’s also human. She’s small, but she’s strong… She is dark and has faced death so many times that she has a deep perspective on the value of life… It’s hard not to admire her”
Many fans had anticipated that the heroine would receive her own film as the collection of superhero movies progressed. So, when news of a standalone film with the hero at the forefront came to light, fans were ecstatic.
3rd of December 2019 saw an official trailer released to Twitter, and uploaded onto Marvel Entertainment’s YouTube channel. May 1st 2020 was the initial projected cinematic release of the film .
But…
Unfortunately, due to the rise of a global pandemic, many cinemas found themselves unable to remain open. Despite this, Disney were adamant that the release of their film would not be disrupted. However, Disney became convinced that a theatrical release might not be the best approach after restrictions limiting remaining venues to 50 people was instated. Black Widow was postponed, in a similar fashion to many films that were slated for a 2020 release date. Moved to the 6th of November 2020, the ongoing and worsening spread of the virus pushed it back further to its current release date.
Consequently, Disney have also had to reschedule some of their other theatrical releases. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, a fellow MCU film was moved multiple times from its initial February 12 2021 date. Rescheduled to May 7th it was then shifted to July 9th then to a September 3rd 2021 slot. Meanwhile, Marvel’s other cinematic offering Eternals faced similar circumstances. November 6 2020 was when it was first intended for release. February 12 of the following year then became its next projected premiere, before being further pushed back to November 2021.
What to Look Forward to
Marvel’s new installation to their superhero franchise will function as an extension to Black Widow’s storyline. It plans to offer insight into what shaped the character by delving into her past. In addition, the film will explore how she deals with the current predicaments in her life. The film will also introduce us to new characters closely linked to the character. Yelena Belova, portrayed by Florence Pugh, will acts as a sister-figure to Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow. Additionally, David Harbour, of Stranger Things, will play Alexei Shostakov/Red Guardian, a father-figure to Natasha and Yelena.
Black Widow will hit screens on July 9 with a simultaneous release to both theatres, and premiere access on Disney+.
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