It is less than 7 days till we get to return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe in theaters with the debut of BLACK WIDOW. This delayed arrival has definitely been a double edged sword, with that we have not had a theatrical entry since Spider-Man: Far From Home in 2019, but at the same time our anticipation has grown and given us a strong reason to go out and see it on a big screen. This doesn’t discount the 2021 Disney+ shows, which do add lore and characters to the world at large, but nothing can take away from the larger beats that a movie adds to the MCU.
With the world’s health and safety in a hopeful upswing, BLACK WIDOW has taken the Disney+ Premier Access approach, giving us a theatrical chance to see the film (I got my IMAX tickets), as well as the ability to purchase the movie on Disney+ for a premium. Looking at my receipts, the $30 with unlimited re-watching is almost the same price, if not cheaper, than 2 seats. Our household will be doing both, but I absolutely love the option, as I do find myself watching Marvel movies multiple times upon release.
While BLACK WIDOW is not the first prequel film for a character for Marvel (Captain America and Captain Marvel nailed those aspects), this is the first movie to give us an insight into a character post-mortem. In Avengers: Endgame, Natasha Romanoff sacrificed her life to obtain the Soul Stone in the Avenger’s quest to bring back those that were lost during Infinity War’s climactic ending. We currently assume this film takes place mostly during the 5 years between IW and Endgame, known in-universe as “The Blip.” However, this could take place between Civil War and Infinity War, when she was on the run with Captain America and the Falcon from the government at large.
We’ll also get to see some of her original training in the Red Room era, as well as pivotal characters during those years. This includes her “sister” Yelena Belova, her father figure, Russia’s Captain America equivalent The Red Guardian, and her mother figure, Melina Vostokoff, the Iron Maiden. These relics of Russia’s political past will probably be looking to dismantle the on-going Black Widow program for spies and killers, while also dealing with the mysterious and masked Taskmaster, who has yet to be revealed.
Next week, we re-enter the theatrical MCU with the first of four movies being released in 2021. BLACK WIDOW will give us the last outing for Scarlett Johansson in the role she’s been in since Iron Man 2 in 2010, and was part of the founding Avengers team in 2012. We’re very excited for the secrets the movie reveals, as well as plot us on a new path with possibly a new Black Widow with Florence Pugh’s Yelena. Catch BLACK WIDOW in theaters and on Disney+ Premier Access on July 9, 2021.
