While we don’t know much about what the future holds for the Marvel Cinematic Universe post-‘Avengers 4’, it looks like one project is moving forward, the solo ‘Black Widow’ excursion. Marvel Studios met with over 70 directors– most of whom, but not all, were female– to find the right candidate the steer this Scarlett Johansson film and have decided that Australian helmer Cate Shortland is the right person for the job. Shortland directed last year’s ‘Berlin Syndrome’ and the 2012 World War II drama ‘Lore’ as well as the TV series ‘The Secret Life of Us’ and ‘Bad Cop, Bad Cop’. Other directors that Marvel reportedly also met with include Amma Asante (‘A United Kingdom’), Maggie Betts (Novitiate’), Melanie Laurent (‘Galveston’) and Kimberly Peirce (‘Boys Don’t Cry’).
Reportedly, it was Johansson who landed this gig for Shortland, after she saw ‘Lore’ and responded positively to her depiction of the lead character, a German woman who helps lead her family to safety during WWII.
‘Ant-Man and the Wasp‘ is currently showing in theaters and is the first Marvel Studios picture with a female character’s name in the title. Next year, Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck’s ‘Captain Marvel‘ will arrive and will be the first Marvel movie with only a female lead’s name as the title. But of course, Black Widow is the first female hero in the Marvel movie pantheon, so her solo outing is long overdue.
Jac Schaeffer penned the script for ‘Black Widow’. She also wrote the script for ‘The Hustle’, the female-centric remake of ‘Dirty, Rotten Scoundrels’ starring Anne Hatheway and Rebel Wilson, which will be released next May. According to buzz, ‘Black Widow’ will be a prequel and delve into her past in the Red Room before becoming the superhero/spy she is in the current movies.
Unfortunately, at this point it’s unknown when this film may arrive. But filming for ‘Avengers 4’ is complete, so Johansson should be free in the near future.
Are you excited that Black Widow is finally getting her own movie?
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
