A film starring Scarlett Johansson’s Marvel Cinematic Universe character has been rumored for the past few years, but that rumor now seems much closer to reality. Female director Cate Shortland has been signed on to direct the long-overdue film.
Set before the first Avengers film, the movie will be Marvel’s second female-fronted film after Captain Marvel, due in 2019.
Johansson is poised to reprise the role of the marvel’s black widow for the much-anticipated standalone movie, and the 33-year-old has previously spoken enthusiastically about the prospect of Black Widow being handed her own film.
She said: ‘I think there’s room for it. The only way to do it would be if it were something that we’ve never seen before that was really groundbreaking and incredibly badass. ‘I think if anyone could make that happen my boss Kevin Feige could. He’s a visionary.’
Scarlett first played the role in 2010’s Iron Man 2, and she’s confident that the character’s ‘tortured past’ would make for an entertaining standalone film.
