Movies - Black Widow: Discover the new trailer

By Mulder, 03 april 2021

The first Marvel Studios film dedicated to this superheroine, Black Widow is also the first film in Phase 4 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Scarlett Johansson plays Natasha Romanoff aka Black Widow alongside Florence Pugh as Yelena, David Harbour as Alexei, the Red Guardian and Rachel Weisz as Melina. This action-spy movie is directed by Cate Shortland and produced by Kevin Feige. Since the first appearance of Black Widow in Iron Man 2 in 2010, the talented and charismatic Scarlett Johansson has been able to make her evolve over the years. With this new film she stars in, she once again develops the depth and personal history of this character that has become a staple in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Set after Captain America: Civil War (2016), the film sees Natasha Romanoff on the run and forced to confront her past.

Development of a Black Widow film began in April 2004 by Lionsgate, with David Hayter writing and directing. The project did not move forward and the film rights to the character reverted to Marvel Studios in June 2006. Scarlett Johansson has played the role in several MCU films, starting with Iron Man 2 (2010). Filming took place from May to October in Norway, Budapest, Morocco, Pinewood Studios in the UK, and Atlanta and Macon, Georgia.

The film was officially announced at San Diego Comic-Con 2019 later in July, with a release date of May 1, 2020, revealed along with the roles of some of the new cast members. Filming took place in mid-July on Hankley Common in Surrey, England, under the working title Blue Bayou. The location was set up to look like a Russian farm, complete with helicopter and plane crash sites. Locations in Macon, including Terminal Station, were dressed to represent Albany, New York. Filming also took place in Atlanta, Budapest and Morocco. Production officially wrapped on October 6, 2019.

In mid-March 2020, Disney pulled the film from its release schedule due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In early April, Disney announced that Black Widow would now be released on November 6, 2020, and that the remaining Phase Four films would be shifted to accommodate this change. In September 2020, Disney again pushed the film's release to May 7, 2021, followed by a third shift in March 2021 to July 9, 2021. Black Widow is scheduled for release in the U.S. simultaneously in theaters and on Disney+ with Premier Access. It will be the first film in phase four of the MCU, and has been delayed three times from an initial May 2020 release date due to COVID-19.

Synopsis:
Natasha Romanoff, a.k.a. Black Widow, has the darkest part of her past resurrected to confront a fearsome conspiracy linked to her former life. Pursued by a force that will stop at nothing to bring her down, Natasha must reconnect with her work as a spy and with ties that were broken long before she joined the Avengers.

Black Widow
Directed by Cate Shortland
Produced by Kevin Feige
Screenplay by Eric Pearson
Story by Jac Schaeffer, Ned Benson
Based on Black Widow by Stan Lee, Don Rico, Don Heck
Starring Scarlett Johansson, Florence Pugh, David Harbour, O-T Fagbenle, William Hurt, Ray Winstone, Rachel Weisz
Music by Lorne Balfe
Cinematography : Gabriel Beristain
Edited by Leigh Folsom Boyd, Matthew Schmidt
Production company : Marvel Studios
Distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Release date : July 9, 2021 (United States)
Running time : 133 minutes

(Source : press release)