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Come on Marvel, it’s well past time we had a Black Widow movie!

January 9th, 2016 by Irwin Fletcher 1 Comment

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Over ten years ago, there was plans to develop a Black Widow movie. But it was ruined by Aeon Flux, the Charlize Theron-starring box office disaster that forced studio executives into a dramatic rethink.

Aeon Flux didn’t open well, and three days after it opened, Lionsgate studio head David Hayter said, ‘We don’t think it’s time to do this movie.’

After that, the Black Widow movie was dead in the water. However, recently there has been renewed buzz that Marvel Studios will announce a standalone film for the popular MCU character portrayed by Scarlett Johansson.

Indeed, Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. star Clark Gregg thinks Marvel Studios should make the movie, and that not making one would be a “tragic” waste of potential.

“Black Widow has been around from day one of this…” Gregg told Digital Spy, (via Squareeyed) “…and is portrayed with this kind of heavy-hearted ferocity by Scarlett Johansson – who I think is as good as any actor working today.

“It seems like it would be tragic, it would be a waste, if that character wasn’t given the spotlight in the way that some of the other characters have been. If I know Marvel, they won’t let that happen, because she’s too valuable an asset.”​

Gregg argued that Marvel had a responsibility to engage its female fan base, and that he’s happy to see that being on Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

“Y’know, I have a 13-year-old daughter and one of the things I’m proudest about with our show is that there are very strong, very intelligent women who are just as responsible for SHIELD not being exterminated as Phil Coulson – and that’s not lost on my daughter and her friends.”

Interestingly, comic book movie fans launched an international flashmob campaign and Twitter hashtag back in July aimed at convincing studio Marvel to put a Black Widow movie into production. Fans were disgruntled that a Black Widow movie was not part of the huge announcement confirming 10 new interlinked comic book movies, opting for the lesser-known Captain Marvel instead.

“Black Widow is an important female super-heroine in the Marvel universe, and she deserves to be more than just a love interest at this point,” wrote Rielly on her blog. “She is a trained assassin with an incredible background story, turning from Russian espionage to joining the Avengers and saving the world. She should have her own movie and merchandise and Marvel should be proud at the opportunity to develop a character that girls can look up to. Unfortunately, even with all the Hulk-smashing internet outrage, it seems that Marvel and Disney are still not listening. So I’ve taken it upon myself to do something about it.”

Black Widow will be back in Captain America: Civil War.

I'm an LA journalist who really lives for his profession. I have also published work as Jane Doe in various mags and newspapers across the globe. I normally write articles that can cause trouble but now I write for FTN because Nerds are never angry, so I feel safe.