Scarlett Johansson says the Black Widow movie reflects the #MeToo movement. Marvel's long-awaited solo film for Johansson's Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow is finally hitting theaters in November after its original release date back in May was delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic. So far, Black Widow is sticking to its current release date, which means fans will soon get to see Natasha's highly-anticipated backstory.
Directed by Cate Shortland, Black Widow is a prequel story taking place between Captain America: Civil War and Avengers: Infinity War. The first film of Marvel's Phase Four will introduce Natasha's past, including her non-biological Russian family. Natasha will return to her Russian roots to take down the Red Room, the organization that trained her as an assassin when she was growing up. With the help of her family, Natasha will attempt to free the Red Room while facing off with its leader, the mysterious Taskmaster. The cast also includes Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova, David Harbour as Alexei Shostakov, and Rachel Weisz as Melina Vostokoff. The film's trailer and teasers promise action-packed sequences and intense fight scenes typically seen in Marvel movies, but Johansson says there's much more to Black Widow.
In an interview with Empire, Johansson discusses the feminist themes in Black Widow and how it reflects the #MeToo movement. "I think this film, in particular, is very much reflective of what’s going on in regards to the Time’s Up movement and the #MeToo movement," said Johansson. "It would be such a miss if we didn’t address that stuff if this film didn’t take that head-on. I think, particularly for Cate, it was so important for her to make a movie about women who are helping other women, who lift other women up out of a very difficult situation. Someone asked me if Natasha was a feminist. Of course, she is, it’s obvious. It’s kinda an asinine question."
2020 is a big year for female-led superhero films, with Black Widow, Birds of Prey, Wonder Woman 1984, and The New Mutants, all featuring women at the forefront. For years, fans have been calling for more female representation in comic book movie leads. After 21 films in the MCU, Captain Marvel delivered the first female superhero lead, and the DCEU even beat them to it with 2017's Wonder Woman. Now Marvel is noticeably trying to feature more diversity in its upcoming TV shows and movies. Disney+'s upcoming The Eternals will feature a diverse cast and superhero female lead in Angelina Jolie. Additionally, She-Hulk and Ms. Marvel series are in the works, while Elizabeth Olsen's Scarlet Witch will co-lead WandaVision later this year.
Of course, Hollywood still has a long way to go before it accurately reflects how the world looks, but it's clear that Marvel Studios is trying to make a change and divert from the white, male superhero lead. Fans have understandably been impatient for a Black Widow-centric movie, considering she appeared in seven MCU movies before she was given her solo story. It's refreshing to see not only a female lead but that most of the lead's family is compromised of women. Now, after all these years, fans will finally get to learn the truth behind Natasha's past later this year.
Source: Empire
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