Black Widow Has A Director

[Agent Z]

Australian director Cate Shortland has been tapped by Marvel Studios to direct a Black Widow solo movie.

The Hollywood Reporter broke the news, which was expected as Shortland was recently named the frontrunner on a short list of directors Marvel was considering. However, now that Shortland has signed on, it makes her the first solo female director of what’s likely to be Marvel’s second solo female-lead superhero film. (Anna Boden is co-directing Captain Marvel, making her the first female director period out of the studio’s 20 films, and Marvel’s first female-led superhero film ever). Scarlett Johansson, obviously, will return as Natasha Romanoff, aka Black Widow.

According to the report, the film is likely to be a prequel, set before Widow was introduced into the Marvel Cinematic Universe in Iron Man 2. Jac Schaeffer wrote the most recent draft.

Shortland was picked after Marvel interviewed upwards of 70 directors, men and women, for the film. Johansson reportedly liked her because of the way she handled the lead character in her film, Lore. Her most recent film was called Berlin Syndrome, which got some buzz on the festival circuit.

https://io9.gizmodo.com/marvel-studi...ort-1827557062

[SpiderClops]

I'm happy it's moving forward.

[Powerboy]

https://io9.gizmodo.com/marvel-studi...ort-1827557062

Good news. Going with specifically a female director (assuming being female was a requirement) is a good move too and nice to see Marvel, for once, following DC's lead.

[Midvillian1322]

Wish they woulda done this with a different character. She hulk maybe. Just cant muster the strength to care about black widow

[titanfan]

Ugh, Prequel seems like a huge mistake.

[Arsenal]

I don't want a Black Widow trilogy, but I got no problem's with giving her a solo movie.

I think the whole "Budapest" thing and exploring how she got involved with Shield would be the way to go but I'm good as long as the premise sounds interesting

[Powerboy]

Wish they woulda done this with a different character. She hulk maybe. Just cant muster the strength to care about black widow

Yeah I would have preferred that too. Also, prequel may indeed be a mistake especially since Scarlett Johansson would be playing the Black Widow of about ten years ago. She might pull it off but it strikes me as being like one of those flashbacks in a movie or show taking place five or ten years earlier where we all pretend we don't notice the character looks as they do currently and not as they looked ten years ago.

But sustaining that through a whole movie is different. More importantly, it makes the movie of the then instead of the now. With Wonder Woman, that was great. The further she was distanced from the rest of the DCEU, the better. But people in droves love the MCU and a prequel taking place before those events would take away the ability to bolster the interest with other characters who have their full current continuity.

[Gorthon616]

I have a feeling this is too late. I'm sure it'll be fine, but I think it'll be more in the Ant-Man territory regarding how successful it is.

I think a prequel is a bad idea. I think you shock the audience by having it be her swan song. As a character, I think she has been in too many movies already and unless if this is setting something up in the present will have a lack of general interest.

[Elmo]

I wish this could be a soft reboot of her character to make her more like the comic book Natasha. MCU BW is one of the most pointless and wasted characters in that universe

[Frontier]

Why does every major female Superhero movie these days have to be a prequel ?

I wish this could be a soft reboot of her character to make her more like the comic book Natasha. MCU BW is one of the most pointless and wasted characters in that universe

I'm still waiting for them to properly adapt Widow's comic belt.

[Emperor-of-Dragons]

Only way i'll be interested in this if it's a taught gritty, spy, thriller. This could be Marvel's first R-rated movie, but i doubt it'll be that interesting.

[Carabas]

Only way i'll be interested in this if it's a taught gritty, spy, thriller. This could be Marvel's first R-rated movie, but i doubt it'll be that interesting.

Luckily movies do not have to be gritty, grimy R-rated stuff to be interesting.

[Agent Z]

I wish this could be a soft reboot of her character to make her more like the comic book Natasha. MCU BW is one of the most pointless and wasted characters in that universe

Is she that different from her comic counterpart?

[Midvillian1322]

Is she that different from her comic counterpart?

I dont find either to be that interesting

Now that said if they make a John Wick quality movie starring Black widow you can make her interesting. Just depends on the writer. But I've never been a fan of hers

[Gorthon616]

Why does every major female Superhero movie these days have to be a prequel ?

My guess is that it gives them flexibility moving forward. If it flops, it's in the past so there's really no pressing need do a sequel to keep the continuity going. If it does well then you can always choose to set the next one in the present.