I am now convinced that Scarlett Johansson is returning to the MCU as Black Widow

Since Scarlett Johansson is already set to return to Marvel Studios as a crew member, I am convinced that she can yet reprise her iconic role of Black Widow In the MCU. Scarlett Johansson made her MCU debut as Natasha Romanoff, aka Black Widow, in the 2010s Iron Man 2As a steadfast SHIELD agent and, later, a founding member of the Avengers. Despite being such a key part of the Infinity Saga, I never felt like Black Widow was done justice, so I’d love to see her return, and now that might be more possible than ever.

Natasha Romanoff became an unfortunate victim of the Avengers’ fight against Thanos in Avengers: EndgameBecause she sacrificed herself so that Hawkeye could get the soul stone. I was glad she finally got some attention in 2021 Black WidowAlthough this came after her death, but Romanoff’s first solo movie didn’t hit the spot for me, and ended up leaving a bad taste in Scarlett Johansson’s mouth, too. Although Johansson has now returned to the MCU as an executive producer, I hope this could lead to a full reprise of Black Widow in the multiverse saga.

Scarlett Johansson is an executive producer on Thunderbolts*

Thunderbolts* is scheduled for release on May 2, 2025

In September 2024, an official Disney press release revealed that Scarlett Johansson has joined the upcoming Marvel Studios thunderbolts* movie, one of my most anticipated projects, as an executive producer. Back in 2021, Marvel boss Kevin Feige revealed that Johansson was working on a “Not-Black-Widow-Related Top-Secret Marvel Studios Project” As a producer (by comic book)And it seems that this marked her reunion with Black Widow Co-stars Florence Pugh, David Harbor and Olga Kurylenko. Johansson returned as a producer on thunderbolts* Proves that her relationship with Marvel is, thankfully, still going strong.

For some time after the release of Black WidowIt seemed as if my hopes of Scarlett Johansson returning to the MCU would never come to fruition, as she was embroiled in an intense lawsuit against the Walt Disney Company. Johansson argued that the simultaneous release of Black Widow In theaters and on Disney+, she broke her contract, which said the film would only see a theatrical release, freeing Johansson from valuable box office bonuses. The lawsuit was eventually settled in September 2021 under undisclosed terms, and Johansson’s executive producer credit on thunderbolts* Seems like a sign of a rebuilding relationship.

Robert Downey Jr. And the Russo brothers are coming back for Avengers 5 and 6

Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars will release in the MCU’s Phase 6

After Jonathan Majors arrest and conviction in 2023, it was inevitable that Marvel Studios would change the storyline for Avengers: The Kong Dynasty. However, knowing that things would change could not prepare me and everyone else for the discovery that, not only the Russo brothers are returning to show the next two Avengers movies, but these projects will star Robert Downey Jr., not as Tony Stark’s Iron Man, but as Doctor Doom. This was a huge announcement that set a brand new precedent for the MCU.

In a move that will demonstrate the weird and extreme possibilities of the multiverse, Robert Downey Jr. ‘s debut in the MCU as Doctor Doom opens the door for more classic MCU stars to return. No one expected Downey Jr. to come back after playing Iron Man for over a decade, and no one expected Scarlett Johansson to return after her lawsuit against Disney. The Rousseau brothers were also unlikely to come back, however I’m even more convinced that Johansson can reprise her role as Black Widow after these huge developments.

Scarlett Johansson could play a Black Widow variant

Scarlett Johansson doesn’t have to return as the Black Widow of Earth-616

The magic of the multiverse saga of the MCU means that the emotional and impressive death of Natasha Romanoff in Avengers: Endgame can be retained. I would love to see Scarlett Johansson return to the MCU as a variant of Black Widow, perhaps one more faithful to her depiction in Marvel ComicsWhich still has many connections with her time in Russia. Of course, I think it would be great if Johansson returned as a completely new character, similar to Robert Downey Jr., which would allow Romanoff’s surrogate sister, Florence Pugh, Yelena Belova, to officially become the new MCU. Black Widow.