Marvel is celebrating 100 days until Black Widow opens in theaters. It might not be an event on the level of Avengers: Endgame, but Natasha Romanoff’s solo film hitting theaters is still an occasion worthy of commemorating. For years, it seemed like Black Widow and Hawkeye were going to be the only members of the MCU’s original Avengers to never get their own movie or TV show. And yes, Hawkeye’s series isn’t scheduled to premiere on Disney+ until late 2021, but Natasha’s movie will serve as the first official installment in Phase 4.

Directed by Cate Shortland from a screenplay by Eric Pearson and story by Ned Benson and Jac Schaeffer, Black Widow takes place between the events of Captain America: Civil War and Avengers: Infinity War. In typical Marvel fashion, details are mostly under wraps right now, but it’s been confirmed the movie follows Natasha (Scarlett Johansson) on a solo mission that brings her face to face with key people from her past, like her fellow Red Room assassin Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh). Even knowing Natasha will make it out of the film alive and battle Thanos in Infinity War before sacrificing her life in Endgame, audiences are very excited to see the movie. Not that Marvel’s anyway near done building up hype, of course.

To mark 100 days until the film’s arrival, Marvel has released a short Black Widow teaser featuring previously-released footage from the film. You can check it out, below.

Since everyone already has a rough idea of how Black Widow ends (Natasha survives, goes on to fight Thanos), the real question is what will the movie reveal that’s important for the MCU’s future. Marvel Studios head honcho Kevin Feige teased the film will explain Natasha’s past at CCXP last month, but also promised it sets the stage for what’s to come in Phase 4. And while fans have their own theories about what that means, Pugh has already shut down speculation that she will become the next Black Widow in the movie. That doesn’t mean Yelena won’t have some other role to play in Phase 4, though, possibly even filling the spot vacated by Natasha in a different sense. After the great year she had in 2019 (culminating with her Oscar-nominated performance from Little Women), it would be odd if Marvel cast Pugh as a one-and-done film character.

Most of all, it will be interesting to see if Black Widow reveals anything significant about life in the MCU following Endgame. This fall’s Eternals will be the first Phase 4 movie to take place after Thanos’ defeat, but it’s possible Black Widow will include a moment or two set in the wake of Natasha’s death (maybe even one of the post-credits scenes). That would allow the sorta-prequel to continue moving the overarching MCU narrative forward at the same time it digs deeper into Natasha as a character and what makes her tick. Whatever happens, fans will find out for certain in about three months and ten days from now.

Source: Marvel

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