In a different timeline, Black Widow would have already been well into its home media release. Alas, the Cate Shortland flick was one of the many delays Marvel Studios implemented because of the ongoing global pandemic. Since the film was initially set to hit theaters now over a year ago, Shortland has confirmed the film has been finished for at least the past year. In fact, the Berlin Syndrome helmer says the final cut hasn’t been touched in all this time, and it’s simply waiting for release.
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Shortland’s reveal comes in the latest issue of Empire, which features an article about the Scarlett Johansson vehicle. The magazine is set to hit newsstands this Thursday, May 13th.
The director’s comments also raise some questions, especially in a post-The Falcon and the Winter Soldier world. Shortly after Julia Louis-Dreyfus made her Marvel Cinematic Universe debut in the Disney+ series, it was revealed she was initially supposed to appear in Black Widow. Though some may have assumed that changed to adhere to the new MCU timeline, Shortland’s comments seem to suggest that’s not the case.
In fact, Louis-Dreyfus’ return has already been teased by longtime Marvel producer Nate Moore.
“She’s so talented and you can do so much with her. And she’s game for it,” Moore previously told Entertainment Weekly. “She certainly didn’t come to us and say, ‘I’ll be in one show once.’ She was like, ‘I want to be a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.’ And we said, ‘Great! Let’s get you in and let’s figure out how to use you.’ And the truth is, I think you will see her in the future. Definitely.”
“That character of Val, we were like, we’ve got to bring somebody into John Walker’s world that challenges him, that maybe gives him a glimmer of hope but hope that is tainted because his character is all about a search for identity that is maybe a bit problematic,” producer Zoie Nagelhout added. “As soon as we figured out [Val’s] the right character for that role, [Louis-Dreyfus] came quickly after.”
Black Widow is now set to hit theaters and Disney+ on July 9th.
Do you plan on seeing the movie in theaters or on Disney+? Let us know your thoughts either in the comments section or by hitting our writer @AdamBarnhardt up on Twitter to chat all things MCU!
