Avengers Endgame took the world by storm as the climactic event of the MCU saga thus far. With the end came a few twists and turns that led to the downfall of many superheroes that we have come to appreciate over the years. Among them, Natasha Romanoff, also known as Black Widow, tragically sacrificed herself, marking the end of her story as Avenger. However, as we are now familiar with Marvel’s intention to explore stories that have yet to be told within the Cinematic Universe (Loki Y WandaVision to name a few), we finally get a chance to learn more about Natasha’s background in the Black widow film that takes place between the events of Captain America: Civil War Y Avengers: infinity war.
Before we discover the untold story of Natasha’s past and her mission against a dangerous conspiracy in this film, we’ve put together a breakdown of all the characters that are scheduled to appear when it hits theaters and Disney + (with Premier Access) on the 9th. of July. .
Black Widow / Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson)
You may be familiar with Natasha Romanoff after recruiting into SHIELD as Black Widow. The first time we saw her in a Marvel movie was in Iron Man 2, in which he had the mission to watch over Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.). She also helped him in the fight against the terrorist Ivan Vanko (Mickey rourke) and become one of the founding members of the Avengers. But who was she before all this happened? On Black widowWe came to understand that Natasha was a KGB operative and during her years in spy training, she was indoctrinated to live for the state as a skilled assassin. Her excellence in martial arts led her to kill an innocent man, which was a burden the character clung to. Eventually, she received a Black Widow mantle after her training in the Red Room Program, making her a dangerous threat. Although we are aware of her change of mind once she joined SHIELD, in this film we will see Natasha confronting her origins and re-approaching her former partners in crime: Yelena, Melina and the Red Guardian.
Scarlett Johanson was granted the rare privilege of playing a character for over 10 years. Johansson, a household name in Hollywood, has shown his ability to perform stunts in various iconic Marvel fight scenes, as well as quite emotional roles in films such as Marriage story Y Lost in translation. The actress has already been nominated for two Academy Awards, and both were nominated in the same year. Before Scarlett Johanson was cast as Natasha Romanoff, Emily blunt He was also considered to be playing the character, but had to be put aside due to his contract as part of the gulliver’s travels adaptation.
Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh)
Yelena Belova was also part of the Red Room program, training to become a spy from a young age. Once Natasha renounced her allegiance to Russia, Yelena became the ideal candidate for replacement. Yelena was the first student to surpass Natasha’s marks in the training process and became a skilled successor to the Black Widow title in the comics. In the movie, we will see Yelena and Natasha develop a sisterly relationship as they bond and come to terms with their rigorous upbringing.
Florence pugh it has gained notorious recognition in recent years. In 2020, she was nominated alongside her co-star Scarlett Johansson at the Oscars for her portrayal of Amy March in Greta gerwigthe version of Little woman. It also pleased horror viewers in Midsummer, a Ari aster film about a group of friends traveling to a cult festival in Sweden. A rising star, Florence Pugh also has a starring role in Olivia wildethe next steering effort Do not worry honey, opposite Harry Styles.
Melina Vostokoff (Rachel Weisz)
Melina Vostokoff is a Soviet agent known in the comics as Iron Maiden. A cold-blooded killer, Vostokoff has been part of the Red Room training program five times and has a long-standing grudge against Natasha. The two used to work together for the Soviet government, but later went their separate ways.
Rachel Weisz previously revealed that Melina will be involved in a complicated scientific investigation, which will be the core of the film. The actress has a long career on the big screen. She has received several awards, including an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in The constant gardener and a BAFTA in 2019 for The favorite.
Alexei Shostakov / Red Guardian (David Harbor)
Also part of the KGB crew, Alexei Shostakov, also known as the Red Guardian, was a notable test pilot for the Soviet Union. In the same way that the Americans made Captain America, the Soviets fought back with the Red Guardian. According to the comics, the character was supposed to marry Natasha, so we don’t know much about how their relationship was explored in the film.
Even if Strange things left us in a momentary suspense at the end of season 3, which made us question whether David port would return for next season, we are definitely sure of his presence as Alexei in Black widow. The actor revealed that the director Cate shortland helped him navigate a human-centered approach to his character. Harbor is known for his portrayal of Detective Hopper in Strange things and for its role in Hellboy in 2019.
Rick Mason (OT Fagbenle)
Rick Mason might be a new character in the MCU, but he’s already appeared in the comics. From the little information available about Mason, we know that he is a former SHIELD agent who crosses Natasha’s path again. He supposedly supports her in the fight against the Taskmaster and might even become Natasha’s love interest. However, if fans are correct, he may also be a likely suspect for the film’s mysterious villain, Taskmaster.
British actor OT Fagbenle plays Rick Mason in this prequel. Popularly known for his role on Hulu The Handmaid’s Tale, Fagbenle never imagined that he would be part of the Marvel family. When he was called in to audition years ago, the actor thought it was a joke. He is also working on a new comedy series for Hulu called Maxxx, which he himself created and wrote.
General Dreykov (Ray Winstone)
General Dreykov was a high-profile Soviet agent who oversaw the Red Room Program. During his time as the mastermind behind intensive spy training responsible for turning girls into assassins, he recruited Natasha on the show. He’s also attached to a dark element from Natasha’s past, which could be revealed in the movie, given that Loki (Tom Hiddleston) mentioned Dreykov’s daughter in the first Avengers movie.
Ray winstone fulfills the role of Dreykov in Black widow. The actor has a career on screen and on stage that exceeds five decades. Known for portraying tough and troublesome characters, Winstone has worked with renowned directors in the industry, such as Steven Spielberg Y Martin Scorsese. He is best known for Beowulf (2007) and The dead people (2006).
Taskmaster (Unknown)
Taskmaster is Natasha’s strong opponent, after all, according to the trailer, he was the head of the Red Room Program. Although the identity of the villain remains a secret, many fans suspect that the person behind the mask is either Rick Mason or Dreykov. What we do know is that it has a “photographic reflection”, which means that it can mimic the movements of anyone in battle. This ability is what makes him a superhuman and extremely unpredictable adversary.
RUMOR: Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.)
Since this is a prequel that takes place between Captain America: Civil War Y Avengers: infinity war Iron Man is very likely to make a cameo in the movie. Given his relationship with Natasha since 2010 Iron Man 2, your participation in Black widow This is most likely limited to a flashback to their time together during the Avengers years, though perhaps Tony Stark’s appearance could serve as a bridge between Black widow Y Infinity war.
Robert Downey Jr. has shown the world his versatility as an actor by shining in roles ranging from dramatic as Chaplin Y Zodiac like blockbuster franchises like MCU and Sherlock Holmes. He has played Iron Man since 2008, instantly becoming a fan-favorite superhero in the MCU. Downey Jr. has won multiple awards and has been nominated for an Oscar twice.
Black widow It will hit theaters on July 9 and will be available on Disney + with Premier Access the same day.
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