Black Widowendured an obstacle-ridden path to movie theaters, unlike any other MCU movie that came before it. Few felt this as much as director Cate Shortland, who recently commented on the matter, as well as the potential for a sequel and where the film got its inspiration from.
Shortland was a bit of a left-field pick by Marvel Studios considering her past films (Somersault,Berlin Syndrome) steered away from the kind of spectacle usually seen in the MCU, but she was the kind of female director the producers wanted to give the movie its own identity. However,Black Widowgot an unexpected checkwhen the pandemic canceled its July 24, 2025, release date and there where multiple more delays afterward due to Disney’s desire for the film to get a proper theatrical release.
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As to whatBlack Widowis all about, Shortland told Deadline that the movie effectively takes place not too long afterCaptain America: Civil War,when Steve Rogers and Natasha Romanoff are on the run from government authorities, thus leading the heroine to go back to her native Russia and reunite her former family. Regardless of that,Black Widowisn’t based on any comic bookstoryline, with Shortland instead explaining Russian historians were consulted to create an origin story for the character framed within the Soviet Union and its collapse.
On more spoiler-related matters, Shortland addressedBlack Widow’s post-credits scene by clarifying it was shot long before the pandemic, a topic that also came up surrounding someThe Falcon and the Winter Soldierepisodes. When asked about a direct sequel toBlack Widow, Shortland made clear “these girls have got a lot of asses still to kick.” Perhaps she was hinting at Florence Pugh’s Yelena Belova having a future as the MCU’s new Black Widow.
Black Widow’s origins are often shrouded in mystery, especially in the MCU. From the very first scene she appeared in duringIron Man 2up to her death inAvengers: Endgame, her past has been addressed but never in great detail. So even her 1984 birthdate could be tossed out the window given that it would only place her as a 7-year-old girl when the steel curtain came down, meaning she was far too young to be turned into a world-renowned toddler spy. However, there have been hints that the organization that trained Romanoff steals girls while they’re still young.
Even though this a role Scarlett Johansson made her own, there areplenty ofBlack Widowlookalikes out there. Plus, if early reviews are to be believed, Pugh’s performance alone is enough to warrant a spot in the nextAvengersfilm or maybe even in theThunderbolts.
Black Widowwill premiere in theaters and on Disney Plus Premier Access on Jul 18, 2025.
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