She was babysitter to Iron Man, saviour to Hawkeye and a friend in need to Captain America. She was also the Hulk-whisperer. Natasha Romanoff aka Black Widow spent almost a decade in the Marvel Cinematic Universe helping her fellow Avengers and as a key plot device in six movies. Then, in Avengers: Endgame (2019), she made the ultimate sacrifice.
While her death made fans emotional, Marvel had the perfect farewell planned—her long-overdue solo movie. It was odd, the lead being dead and all. But, the studio knew that fans would pay to see Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow one last time. The character’s well-established fighting skills and a touch of CGI would be enough to ensure the movie’s success. Add to that the intrigue around the super spy/assassin’s life before she became an Avenger, and the ghosts of her dark past, and it could turn into something special.
The trailers looked spectacular, the internet was abuzz, the fans were just happy at the chance to properly send off a beloved character. Finally, a story only about Black Widow. A story, as it turned out, about how she helped launch her replacement in the MCU. Black Widow (2021), which released in India on September 3, was merely a platform to move the MCU forward and introduce her adoptive sister and future Black Widow, Yelena Belova (portrayed by the talented Florence Pugh).
Taking over: Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova
It was disappointing. And it exposed the mess Marvel had made of the opportunities around this character. A few years ago—right after Captain America: Civil War (2016)—would have been the right time to bring out this movie. That is, in fact, when it takes place. Why then did Marvel not do it then? Because, as we now know from then Marvel Entertainment CEO Ike Perlmutter’s leaked 2014 email, there were concerns that female-led superhero movies would not do well.
By the time rival DC’s Wonder Woman (2017) broke this myth, it was too late for a Black Widow film. The magnum opus, Avengers: Infinity War (2018), was close, and Captain Marvel, a female superhero in the MCU, would be teased at the end. After the resounding success of Captain Marvel (2019), the Black Widow movie could not be shelved.
The character had also grown in prominence. Many of the heroes had been literally turned to dust by Thanos in Infinity War. The remaining Avengers had scattered in the wake of their devastating defeat. But, Black Widow refused to give up and eventually rose to lead a new ragtag team. It seemed like Marvel was finally going to give her well-deserved screen time and that the character would go on to fulfil its potential, especially with the solo movie coming up. And then, she died.
Wait, it is not over, said fans. They will bring her back. It is not as if fan favourites stay dead in the MCU. But, all hope is dead now, largely because of Johansson’s lawsuit against distributor Disney for breach of contract that would deny her hefty bonuses. Nobody will be more upset about the lost opportunity to make more money out of the character than Marvel executives. For Disney, too, despite its ocean of offerings, the MCU has become an important property. Moreover, its response to Johansson’s lawsuit was widely panned as misogynistic. The Mouse House will know that even it cannot afford too many PR mishaps like this.
Therefore, the enduring legacy of Johansson’s time as Black Widow could be that other female characters in the MCU are handled better and treated more fairly.