Marvel fans no longer have to settle for the upcoming Red Sparrow movie: That Black Widow standalone is still happening.
According to Variety, the project is in its very early stages and it hasn't been greenlit yet. However, Marvel president Kevin Feige has reportedly called on Jac Schaeffer to write the script, and execs have met with Scarlett Johansson to discuss plans. Schaeffer has previously worked on smaller films like TiMER, Mr. Stache and Olaf's Frozen Adventure, and the Black Widow project will be her first foray into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Marvel hasn't commented on the news.
We've already seen what kind of magic happens when you place women behind these female superhero movies (just look at Patty Jenkins' directorial brilliance with Wonder Woman), so expectations will be high for this one. Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow made her big blockbuster debut in 2010's Iron Man 2 and later appeared in 2012's The Avengers, 2014's Captain America: The Winter Soldier, 2015's Avengers: Age of Ultron and 2016's Captain America: Civil War. Johansson will reunite with the rest of the Avengers in Infinity War, which arrives on May 4.
The news comes two years after Feige said that the company is "creatively and emotionally that we are most committing to doing is Black Widow." He didn't mention a release timeframe, and Marvel hasn't commented on this latest bit of news.
The Black Widow movie announcement follows Captain Marvel, the first female-led Marvel movie. The film, which stars Brie Larson as the lead and She's Gotta Have It's DeWanda Wis is due March 8, 2019.
