Marvel’s Black Widow Director Addresses Possibility of a Sequel

Will there be a Black Widow 2? Director Cate Shortland says there’s “a lot of asses still to kick” for the Black Widows joining Scarlett Johansson in her Marvel swansong, out July 9. The mid-quel set in-between the events of Captain America: Civil War and Avengers: Infinity War reveals an untold story for Natasha Romanoff (Johansson), who reunites with her found family from before the Avengers: Alexei Shostakov (David Harbour) and Black Widows Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh) and Melina Vostokoff (Rachel Weisz). After Natasha’s death in Avengers: Endgame, it’s expected the Red Room-trained Yelena will carry the torch as Johansson’s Black Widow successor in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

“I think these girls have got a lot of asses still to kick,” Shortland told Deadline when asked about a Black Widow sequel. The first-time Marvel director previously told RadioTimes.com that a second film “following a different character” is possible.

“I think Scarlett is really happy that she’s leaving the party, you know, and she’s not the last to leave. She decided she wanted to go,” Shortland said. “And I don’t think she would want to come back at the moment.”

Johansson made similar comments to ComicBook.com, saying of her exit from the MCU after 11 years: “Honestly, I feel like it’s always, it feels great to leave a party when it’s still raging and I think that this film feels very much like it’s alive and fresh and powerful and I feel really pleased with it.”

“I feel really happy with the work that we’ve done for this decade of time,” Johansson said. “You know, it’s bittersweet to say ‘goodbye,’ but if you love something, you need to set it free!”

Pugh, also a newcomer to the Marvel Studios franchise, will reprise her role opposite Jeremy Renner and Hailee Steinfeld in the coming original series Hawkeye on Disney+. Both Johansson and Kevin Feige, Marvel Studios President and producer, have hinted at a bright future for Pugh’s Yelena in the MCU.

“Yelena is a character we’ve wanted to bring into the universe for many, many years,” Feige previously told Entertainment Tonight. “And Florence Pugh is such a spectacular actress. Soon after we hired her, she was nominated for an Academy Award [for 2019’s Little Women].”

“I can’t wait for people to see it,” Feige said of Pugh in Black Widow. “The scenes between [her] and Scarlett in this movie, that banter and that new relationship, elevates both of them and the entire MCU.”

Marvel’s Black Widow releases in theaters and on Disney+ Premier Access on July 9.

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