We are only weeks away until Black Widow hits theaters, and as fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe know, the film will be a prequel, exploring what happens after the events of Captain America: Civil War with Natasha’s turn as a fugitive, reconnecting with the people from her life as a former KGB assassin. Other MCU characters could get a Black Widow-style prequel.
The film, starring Scarlett Johansson as Natasha Romanoff and directed by Cate Shortland, will be the first of Marvel’s Phase 4 theatrical slate, which has been delayed several times this past year due to the pandemic.
The prequel seemed the logical way to go after the events of Avengers: End Game, which saw Black Widow meet her maker, as it allows Marvel to highlight the character and show Natasha’s growth as a hero. It’s an idea that seems to be something that the decision makers of the MCU are thinking a lot about these days.
According to Screenrant.com, Kevin Feige, Marvel Studios’ president, has teased the possibility of more prequels like Black Widow could be upcoming in the MCU. During a press conference via SlashFilm promoting the film, Feige noted the potential was definitely there for other films that explore the “past, present, and future” of characters from the MCU.
“Certainly, this film and this story is a particular case for Natasha,” he said. “But the notion of exploring the past, present, and future of the MCU is certainly in the cards for all of our characters. This particular story of this particular cast is very personal, very specific to Natasha.”
Black Widow is rumored to offer an action-packed deep dive into Natasha’s haunted past, which until now has only ever been teased beginning with the character’s debut in Iron Man 2. Over the decade since that appearance, the character has evolved a great deal with Johansson being a key actor of the MCU.
With the movie expecting to be the first huge blockbuster of the pandemic era, don’t be too surprised when new prequel ideas come floating out of the MCU cannon.