emma watson
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RUMOR ALERT: The information presented is strictly a RUMOR at this point, so take all of this with a grain of salt.

Reportedly, director Cate Shortland, producer Brad Winderbaum and Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige have their eye on Emma Watson to play the second lead female in ‘Black Widow’.  This role is described as a “kick-ass female Bond”, who “feels similar” to Scarlett Johansson.  While other actors are also under consideration, it is said that Watson is the most “prominent” in the creative team’s discussions.

Watson could be a prime pick, because after starring in ‘Beauty and the Beast’, she has an established relationship with Marvel’s parent company, Disney.  And while she is a familiar name and face worldwide thanks to her role as Hermione in the ‘Harry Potter’ franchise, she has not yet been elevated to superstar status, meaning her asking price wouldn’t be astronomical.  Her last picture, ‘The Circle’, costarring Tom Hanks, was a massive flop, but she should rebound with Greta Gerwig’s ‘Little Women’ in December.

In addition to Watson, others are said to be under consideration, and reportedly both Alice Englert, star of the upcoming Ryan Murphy Netflix series ‘Ratched’, and Israeli Dar Zuzovsky have actually auditioned and those went well.  Another possible candidate is Watson’s ‘Little Women’ costar Florence Pugh, who can currently be seen in ‘Fighting with My Family’.  According to the original casting description, Marvel was seeking someone in the 30-39 age range, but it appears they have shifted that to a potentially younger performer.

Don’t expect Marvel or anyone involved with ‘Black Widow’ to admit this anytime soon, but judging by the description, it sounds as though the film will pit Natasha Romanoff against Yelena Belova, another super spy who also goes by the name “Black Widow.”  This Black Widow usually finds herself in conflict with the Marvel heroes, especially Natasha.  But after Natasha’s death, Yelena dedicated herself to honoring her memory.  But due to her lethal methods, she still finds herself at odds with the more altruistic heroes.

Production on ‘Black Widow’ is expected to begin soon, as it is scheduled for release on May 1, 2020.

Which actor would be the best fit to play Scarlett Johansson’s nemesis in ‘Black Widow’?

Source: That Hashtag Show