After searching through almost 70 directors, THR reports that Australian born director Cate Shortland will helm a standalone BLACK WIDOW film starring Scarlett Johansson.
Best known for Somersault, Lore, and most recently Berlin Syndrome, Shortland’s career has been defined by intimate portraits of women. Johansson herself is said to have had a hand in selecting Shortland from the longlist of female directors.
As one of the longest-running characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), first appearing in Iron Man 2 back in 2010, it’s surprising it has taken this long. Johansson has reprised the role in 6 additional films, including The Avengers, Captain America: Winter Soldier, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War, and the latter’s untitled sequel.
So little is known about the film. When last we heard, Jac Schaeffer had penned a version of script set prior to The Avengers says the source. Marvel Studios head has been talking about this film since at least 2012, and much of this will depend on the fate of the MCU following the sequel to Avengers: Infinity War next year.
Johansson has a lot coming up in the next few years. In addition to next year’s Avengers Untitled, an Untitled Noah Baumbach Project, Taika Waititi’s Jojo Rabbit, and Rupert Sander’s Rub & Tug. The latter has copped some flack for the actor, who plays the transgender Tex Gill. Coming so close to accusations of “whitewashing” in Ghost in the Shell, this is an odd move for the actor.
At any rate, the MCU dance card is also pretty full at the moment. Captain Marvel, Avengers Untitled, and Spider-Man: Far From Home are on the slate for 2019, and James Gunn has indicated that Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is due out in 2020. That said, Marvel has 3 untitled release dates for 2021, and one of them may just happen to have Natasha Romanoff’s name on it.
