Issues went a bit south following the conclusion of the Infinity Saga, with Disney and Marvel quickly increasing the MCU, producing loads of content material on the expense of its high quality. This got here again to chew them, and the corporate quickly canceled an entire slew of titles, opting to shift its focus from amount to high quality as soon as once more. Nonetheless, the injury has been accomplished. Have been it not for Deadpool & Wolverine, the MCU would’ve sunk. Individuals simply misplaced curiosity within the MCU, principally because of a noticeable decline in high quality but in addition because of a scarcity of cohesive storytelling and the departure of iconic characters.
However determined instances name for determined measures, and Disney and Marvel determined to play their aces and name upon Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans to return to the franchise — albeit connected to completely different roles. RDJ goes to painting Victor von Doom within the upcoming Doomsday (as we beforehand mentioned) and Chris Evans reprised the function of the Human Torch in Deadpool & Wolverine. In the newest and fairly shocking information, actor Scarlett Johansson is, as soon as once more, connected to an MCU undertaking — although in a considerably completely different capability.
This raises many questions relating to the potential return of ‘s Black Widow to the MCU, particularly after the tumultuous authorized disputes between Johansson and Disney. For these with foggy recollections, Scarlett Johansson’s Natasha Romanoff (AKA Black Widow) was a significant a part of the MCU. The character first appeared as a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent in 2010’s Iron Man 2 and have become one of many founding members of the Avengers earlier than Johansson’s portrayal concluded with Black Widow’s heroic sacrifice in Avengers: Endgame.
Following the conclusion of the Infinity Saga, the MCU launched 2021’s Black Widow, which follows the titular character’s adventures after the occasions of Captain America: Civil Warfare and explores her private historical past. Nonetheless, not like earlier MCU releases, Disney opted to offer Black Widow simultaneous theatrical and streaming releases. This didn’t sit nicely with Johansson, who, simply two days after the film was launched in the USA, filed a lawsuit in opposition to Disney, alleging that the corporate had breached a stipulation in her contract that the movie can be a theatrical unique.
Disney’s choice to offer Black Widow a simultaneous launch successfully exempted the corporate from paying huge field workplace bonuses to Johansson, as her compensation was contractually tied to the movie’s field workplace efficiency. In different phrases, the simultaneous launch decreased her potential earnings. Disney resorted to their standard media techniques, which notable trade names condemned and characterised as gender-shaming and public bullying. Reportedly, even Kevin Feige was angered and embarrassed by Disney’s dealing with of the scenario.
The lawsuit was settled in September 2021 below undisclosed phrases, with numerous studies suggesting that Johansson acquired over $40 million from Disney. The Black Widow actor has since reiterated that she won’t reprise her function, stating, “She is lifeless. She’s lifeless. Okay?” Clearly, she was referring to Natasha Romanoff. Whereas her absence from the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday forged aligns along with her choice to maneuver on, time and sizable monetary compensations heal most grievances in enterprise. Each Johansson and Disney have expressed a want to proceed their collaboration on future tasks.
However how does this mirror on the potential look of Black Widow? Nicely, that is still to be seen. Whereas Johansson is as soon as once more related to the MCU, the character she portrayed stays absent from introduced releases. The introduction of the Multiverse doesn’t exclude the potential for Johansson portraying a variant of the Black Widow in future releases. We wouldn’t be stunned to see her cameo within the upcoming Thunderbolts* film, which options her Black Widow co-stars Florence Pugh, David Harbour, and Olga Kurylenko.
Moreover, she would possibly even make an look in main tasks akin to Avengers: Doomsday or Avengers: Secret Wars regardless of not being formally featured in any forged lists — one thing we’ve gotten used to seeing from Marvel. The writers might simply leverage Adam Warlock’s powers and his mastery of the Soul Stone to entry the Soulworld (as he had accomplished within the comics) and produce again those that had sacrificed themselves for the Stone prior to now. After all, this might set some critical cosmic repercussions into movement, setting the stage for future MCU releases.
In the long run, Black Widow has greater than a small spider’s likelihood of returning for Avengers: Doomsday, regardless of Scar-Jo’s authorized disputes with Disney. Nonetheless, whether or not or not she does return is as much as the best of all forces within the MCU: the writers. Given the present state of the MCU and Disney’s try and spherical up all the unique Avengers for one final mission: saving the sinking ship that’s the MCU, there’s actually no purpose to exclude the potential for seeing Scarlett Johansson performing her preventing pose as soon as once more. We’d additionally prefer to see Florence Pugh’s Yelena Belova make enjoyable of her pose as soon as once more, too.