The character, introduced in the comics in 1964, is inextricably tied to a Soviet-era spy aesthetic fitting of James Bond.<\/b>
\nScarlett Johansson has had quite a bit of time to think about a \u201c Black Widow \u201d movie. After all, she\u2019s played the character in seven movies spanning 10 years. Yet unlike many of her fellow Avengers who got grand introductions in movies and sequels bearing their names on the marquee, she built the enigmatic Natasha Romanoff as a sideline scene stealer beginning with her introduction in 2010\u2019s \u201cIron Man 2\u201d through her exit in \u201cAvengers: Endgame.\u201d By the time her name was called for a coveted standalone, she knew that, above all, she wanted Black Widow\u2019s film to be unexpected. And as the first lead actor to serve as a producer on a Marvel film, she actually had a say. The character, introduced in the comics in 1964, is inextricably tied to a Soviet-era spy aesthetic fitting of James Bond. But that seemed like the easy route. \u201cI didn\u2019t want it to be an espionage film,\u201d Johansson said. \u201cI think we avoided that.\u201d Instead, \u201cBlack Widow\u201d helps peel back the layers on a hard-to-grasp character, with a little bit of an origin story, a little bit of a coda and the introduction of people outside of the Avengers who mean something to her. Johansson also personally recruited Australian indie director Cate Shortland, another unexpected and inspired choice, to helm. Marvel veteran Eric Pearson had the task of writing the script and took advantage of the fact that the character seemed to change and become more emotionally vulnerable between \u201cCivil War\u201d and \u201cInfinity War\u201d\/\u201dEndgame,\u201d which is when \u201cBlack Widow\u201d is set. \u201cWe\u2019re looking at what happened there,\u201d Pearson said. \u201cWhat happened when she went back and confronted her past that unlocked her heart and kind of opened her up to the world and eventually led her to make that all-time sacrifice at the end of \u2018Endgame.\u2019\u201d Part of that involved introducing a sort-of sister character in Yelena Belova, played as an adult by Florence Pugh, who also had the traumatic experience of being trained in the \u201cRed Room\u201d as a child. \u201cFlorence is so vibrant and interesting to watch that you think, \u2018OK… there\u2019s going to be life here,\u2019\u201d Johansson said. Despite not really knowing one another beforehand, they quickly connected on set, partly due to a natural chemistry between the two and partly due to the extreme nature of filming a big budget action thriller. \u201cOur Day One was me throwing her against a cabinet and we both had our hands in each other\u2019s armpits. And it was in that moment that I was like, \u2018Oh, my God, I have a sweaty armpit. And Scarlett Johansson is touching me,\u2019\u201d Pugh said. \u201cOnce that ice is broken, you know, best mates. Weird first day, though, to start with.\u201d It was a fittingly epic endeavor, shooting over 87 days in London, Norway, Budapest, Morocco and Atlanta, with showstopping fights, motorcycle stunts, car chases and even a skydiving sequence. For Pugh, who is more known for slightly less spectacle driven films like \u201cMidsommar\u201d and \u201cLittle Women,\u201d it was an eye-opening experience. \u201cIt was just so impressive to see so many departments doing so many things. And you were completely involved into the process and the creating of it. And I just really appreciated how much you were expected to be there for the whole journey,\u201d Pugh said. \u201cIt only made then waiting and watching the film a year later just even more exciting because you\u2019re like, \u2018Oh, my God, that took so many days to shoot and there we are flying through the air on a bike.\u2019\u201d \u201cBlack Widow\u201d has the distinction of being the first Marvel movie debuting day-and-date on a streaming platform, after being delayed over a year due to the pandemic. Like a handful of Disney releases over the past year, it\u2019ll be available Friday in theaters globally and to rent on Disney+ for $30. The film isn\u2019t just a tribute and a goodbye to a beloved character, though. It also kicks off \u201cPhase Four\u201d of the Marvel Cinematic Universe after an unplanned two-year gap in Marvel theatrical releases following \u201cAvengers: Endgame\u201d (and, technically, \u201cSpider-Man: Far From Home.\u201d) The stakes for big budget Marvel movies are always high, but \u201cBlack Widow\u201d will also be a litmus test not just because of the unconventional release strategy, but also as a gauge for audience interest in the cinematic juggernaut going forward. After the 23-film build to \u201cEndgame,\u201d which currently holds the title of second-highest grossing film of all time after a re-release of \u201cAvatar\u201d during the pandemic, Marvel is going into unchartered territory with new characters in films like \u201cShang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings,\u201d set for September, and \u201cEternals\u201d in November. But Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige isn\u2019t stressing much about that. This new phase, he said, is one of \u201cnew beginnings\u201d moving forward. \u201cWithin our movies, there\u2019s this big shared experience that all the characters had with this, what we call the blip. Now, in real life, we all, as human beings on earth, have had the shared experience of this pandemic, of this lockdown. So there is an interesting parallel that we\u2019re that we were playing on in our stories,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s been two years since we\u2019ve had a film in theaters and we are ready. I hope the fans are ready.\u201d<\/p>\n