Emma Watson Reportedly Listed as Front-runner for Lead Role in Marvel's 'Black Widow'

Marvel is days away from stepping out with its first female-led feature, and the studio isn't stopping its momentum. According to a new report, a list of front-runners for the studio's Black Widow film has gone public, and Emma Watson's name may be heading it up.

Recently, That Hashtag Show released a post detailing an alleged list of front-runners for a leading role in Black Widow. The rumored second female lead hit up the Internet awhile back when casting descriptions surfaced, and That Hashtag Show reports Watson is being eyed for the role.

As the report puts it, Watson is "headlining" the partial list. The site says the idea of Watson being cast is "gaining momentum" with executives and that her name has become very "prominent" in discussions.

Aside from Watson, That Hashtag Show reports a few other actresses being eyed as front-runners. Alice Englert and Dar Zuzovsky are said to have auditioned for the lead role. The duo are described as having made "strong" impressions. Florence Pugh was listed as a contender as well, and the actress will be seen on screen with Watson soon in Little Women.

So far, no official casting announcements for this lead role have been made, but fans expect a decision will be made soon. Current reports suggest Black Widow is eyeing a June production start date, leaving director Cate Shortland on a time crunch. However, Marvel Studios is nothing if not gifted at casting, so there's little doubt Kevin Feige will help orchestrate casting if called upon.

As for other roles needing to be cast, fans have been left in the dark mostly, but The Hollywood Reporter clued readers in on the film's villain. Not long ago, a report went live breaking down a casting call for the role which said Marvel Studios is looking for a male actor of open ethnicity in their 40s to portray an "exciting" baddie. Now, fans have started to theorize who this role could refer to in the comics, leaving many to throw out names such as Taskmaster or even Red Guardian.

So, do you think Watson would fit into the MCU? Let me know in the comments or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB to talk all things comics and anime!

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