Is Marvel finally giving Black Widow the solo movie she deserves?
According to a report from Variety, Marvel has hired screenwriter Jac Schaeffer to write the Black Widow solo flick, which would star Scarlett Johansson as the one-time assassin. The film has not yet received the greenlight, but hiring Schaeffer — a writer whose credits include The Shower, an alien invasion comedy set to star Anne Hathaway — proves that it's one step closer to a reality.
The fact that Marvel has hired a woman to pen Nat's solo story is the icing on the cake, but that doesn't mean we don't have questions. Or, maybe, just one question: Why hasn't this happened yet?
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Anyone who has been to a cinema in the last decade knows that the Marvel Cinematic Universe has not shied away from solo films. Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), and Captain America (Chris Evans) have received multiple movies focused on their own hero's arc. Spider-Man (Tom Holland), Ant-Man (Paul Rudd), and Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) have received their own solo adventures as well.
Meanwhile, Johansson has reprised her role of Russian spy-turned-Avenger six times across the Marvel franchise — and still, no lead role in her own film.
It's time that changed. In a climate where women are reclaiming their voices, we need more movies that highlight the experiences of women — and yes, that includes within a huge superhero franchise.
During a 2015 interview with W, Johansson explained why she wanted to play Black Widow so badly — and it exemplifies exactly why we need a heroine like her on the big screen.
"Black Widow is a superhero, but she’s also human. She’s small, but she’s strong. It’s hard not to admire her," Johansson told the outlet. "We all try to fight the forces of evil. Like Black Widow, you have to keep trying. The challenge is always there."
Here's hoping that the solo Black Widow film is the next one announced by the MCU. She's certainly helped save the world enough times.