According to an EW article, Marvel has hired a writer for a potential Black Widow solo movie, Jac Schaeffer. While the movie has yet to be greenlit, hiring a writer is a big step in making that happen. Ever since Scarlett Johansson first appeared as Black Widow in Iron Man 2, there has been speculation about getting her own movie. She’s proven to be a bad-ass character so I for one would have high expectations for a solo Black Widow adventure.
Johansson has so far appeared in six MCU movies, including an uncredited cameo in Thor: Ragnarok. She is confirmed to be under contract for two more movies, Avengers: Infinity War and the yet-to-be titled Avengers 4, But if Marvel is moving ahead with hiring a writer for her own movie, they must feel confident that her contract can be reworked or extended to include one or more solo efforts.
In relation to the upcoming Infinity War and Avengers 4, I wouldn’t say this news guarantees her survival. There has long been speculation that one or more characters will not make it out alive of those movies. This article from Collider has confirmation from Kevin Feige that certain characters will be making their last appearances in this so-called “finale.” That could be a combination of death and characters simply moving on. But Black Widow has a rich back story, alluded to here and there in various MCU movies. I would argue showing some of her history would make for a better and more interesting movie than following her in the present-day MCU. In an Avengers world, I’m not sure how many solo missions Black Widow could go on that would present a good enough story for a solo outing. Here’s hoping the project moves forward, and moves forward quickly.
