Black Widow (2020)

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Playmaker | Marvel Studios’ Black Widow
Marvel Entertainment   Jun 3, 2021

 

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Black Widow's Yelena Pokes Fun at Natasha's Superhero Landing in New Clip
BY KEEGAN PROSSER      June 5, 2021
https://www.cbr.com/black-widows-yelena-pokes-fun-at-natashas-superhero-landing-in-new-clip/

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In the scene, which premiered during a new episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, the pair of Black Widows appear to be grabbing snacks at a gas station when Yelena asks, "Why do you always do that thing?" When Natasha responds by asking what she's talking about, Yelena explains, "That thing you do when you're fighting." She then proceeds to imitate Natasha's fighting stance while whipping her hair back and forth and calling Natasha a "poser."

Florence Pugh on Black Widow & Her Mom Getting High with Snoop Dogg
Jimmy Kimmel Live   Jun 5, 2021

 

Edited June 7, 2021 by tv echo

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Black Widow: Scarlett Johansson, Florence Pugh on the gritty prequel unlike any other Marvel movie
By Jack Shepherd    June 4, 2021
https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/black-widow-interview-back-to-the-cinema-scarlett-johansson/ 

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Padding out Natasha’s background helped ground the character for Johansson like never before, and gave the writing team new material to delve into. From there, a time period was chosen: after Captain America: Civil War but before Avengers: Infinity War. “That specific moment [in Natasha’s life] gave us the opportunity to explore the character in a period where she belongs to no one: she has no family, she’s not working for an organisation,” says Johansson, who also acts as a producer on the movie and helped steer much of its development. “She’s really alone, and everything is quiet. It’s that quiet time that she’s been running from for basically her entire life, and now she has the opportunity to be self- reflective. And that’s when all this stuff creeps out.”
*  *  *
The story soon morphed into something very few people, including the creative team, had expected – a family drama. However, it wasn’t [director Cate] Shortland who came up with that left-turn for Natasha, but Marvel’s leading producer, Kevin Feige.

"[That decision] was puzzling to me,” Shortland says. “And then I realised, by the end, that Kevin and I had similar visions. What I really wanted to do was to expose the character and get under her skin. The family created the dynamic with which that would happen. We see a different side of the character, because she’s in scenes with people that know her from when she was a child. She’s not a superhero in those scenes; she’s a daughter or a sister.”

These family moments are, judging by the trailers, both serious and funny. Florence Pugh plays Yelena Belova, a younger sister figure and fellow Black Widow. Likewise, Rachel Weisz’s Melina Vostokoff went through the same torturous training. And then there’s David Harbour’s fatherly Alexei Shostakov, better known as the Red Guardian – Russia’s less successful take on Captain America. At first, the three characters are antagonistic towards Natasha: she abandoned them to fight with the Avengers in America. But following the fallout of Civil War, she’s back with them – and it’s complicated to say the least.
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“The relationships that Natasha has with the other characters in this film are much more complex than any other relationships that you’ve seen her have,” says Johansson. “It’s that messy stuff. It’s the makeup of you. Your Achilles’ heel. The people that know which buttons to push, because they installed them. There’s so much expectation and disappointment. These people have gone through such trauma and loss.”

“Natasha has a fear of being loved,” Shortland adds. “She’s really Teflon- coated, and she’s a fetishised character. So you don’t see, often, the depth to her. What we wanted to see was her forgive herself and allow people in. I think that’s really beautiful because it allows the audience to see her in a different way.

"What I wanted to make sure was that I connected her to the universe,” the director continues. “I’m not talking about the Marvel Universe, but to a wider universe, so that the audience felt like she was connected to the spiritual world and she wasn’t just a woman in leather kicking ass, and that she was a vulnerable, raw, angry, illogical creature who’d been damaged as a kid. How do you make sense of that as an adult? And how do you forgive those around you that have caused the trauma?”
*  *  *
"It’s a pretty heavy-duty training where it’s very severe emotional, physical, psychological abuse and torture,” Oscar-winner Weisz says. “They all get hysterectomies.” It’s implied in Avengers: Age Of Ultron that Natasha couldn’t have children, but here we learn why that’s the case.

“One of the most interesting things about the film is how far Cate went with it,” Pugh, speaking over the phone, says. “This film is about the abuse of women. It’s about how they get involuntary hysterectomies by the age of eight. It’s about girls who are stolen from around the world. It’s so painful, and it’s so important.

“Part of the excitement for me is that women and girls from around the world are going to see this, and are going to see an abuse story that really was challenged by its own victims. For a Marvel film to be reaching all of those levels, it is so exciting. The best thing about that is, it’s not layered with this color of grey. You’ll see these women strive and be strong, and they’re assassins – and yet they still need to discuss how they were abused. It’s an incredibly powerful piece.”
*  *  *
Shortland will be the first woman to direct Johansson as Natasha, which seems almost criminal considering she has played the character in seven previous movies, not including a post-credits cameo in Captain Marvel.

“Her perspective is completely different,” Johansson continues. “She understands Natasha on a very visceral level. To put her artistic filmmaking credit aside – just her female perspective alone is a huge factor of what the end result is going to be. Within moments of seeing it, not only does it look like a Cate Shortland film, but you can feel that it was made from a female perspective. It’s just innately in there.”

Weisz agrees. “She really sees women, and all their behavior, and all their complexity,” she says. “The women are sexy and strong, but somehow not. They’re the subject, not the object. They feel like they’re in charge of their story, even though they look crazily sexy – I’m talking about Florence and Scarlett, of course.”
*  *  *
That’s not to say Black Widow doesn’t do things you expect from a Marvel movie. It’s “also very funny” says Johansson, which seems par for the course, and that humor mainly comes from the Red Guardian, Harbour’s character who the actor compares to The Office’s David Brent. “There’s something about Alexei where I always thought of him as not strictly comedic, but more just like the pathos of a small-town, indie, family-driven, weird movie,” Harbour says, having seemingly only just woken up: the Stranger Things and Hellboy actor is wearing a dressing gown while speaking to TF over Zoom.

“There’s a lot of fun in these Marvel movies: you’re going to fight these big, bad things, and you’re going on this big action-adventure. But in the midst of it, there’s a lot of personality and a lot of humor. And that was what I found so interesting about the script. I thought it was going to go in one direction with Alexei, where he is this tough, brutal guy. But also, underneath, there’s all this sweetness and weirdness, and all these sort of dad qualities to him. He wants to be liked. He has these emotional needs which are very funny to see in a guy like that, in a super soldier.”

Another character who will make an appearance in Black Widow is Rick Mason, played by O-T Fagbenle. We have yet to see Mason in the trailers, which has led many fans to suspect he could actually be masked villain the Taskmaster, who has taken over the Red Room and whose identity has not been revealed.

“I play a private contractor,” says Fagbenle. “He’s got contacts with the criminal underworld. He might work for military organizations as much as he might work for criminal organizations. He’s kind of an amoral agent in that sense.” Unsurprisingly, when pressed by TF, he cannot comment much more. “He’s a pretty fun character, and he’s got a great dynamic with Black Widow,” he laughs. “Boom! Spoiler! Splash!”

As well as having humor and action, Black Widow still factors heavily into the other events of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Firstly, Shortland assures that the film will “honor” Natasha’s death in Endgame, while Johansson says it offers “resolution” for fans of the character. Then there’s the fact that Black Widow kicks off Marvel’s Phase Four, which seems at odds with the previous Phase openers which have primarily focused on setting up future stories rather than “resolving” former ones. The key, it seems, lies in Pugh’s character Yelena.
*  *  *
“It’s an origin story, but it also pushes into the future,” Shortland says. “You just get the sense that Yelena’s going to be a wild card, and that she won’t be a classic superhero. What’s great about Florence is she’s not interested in being a fetish. She’s angry about what’s happened with women. She’s angry about the injustices of how women have to look or behave a certain way. What’s fun in the character is, she explores that on screen. So you get this character that’s really irreverent, and who also just questions the whole superhero thing.”
*  *  *
Pugh, as you would expect, is flattered by Johansson’s words. However, she insists that, while everyone’s asking about what’s next for her character, Black Widow never feels like it’s trying to push Yelena on you. “This film really, really did feel like this was Natasha’s moment to rediscover her past, and address her pain,” she says. “My character kind of gave her that opportunity to. And even though everybody is desperate to figure out what’s next, even after watching it, that’s not what you are left thinking. You’re left finally feeling some resolve to Natasha’s character, for all those years. You’re left with understanding for all these people, especially her, and how she got the way that she did. So, it’s funny. I just felt great to be a part of it. I wasn’t really thinking about what’s next.”

Of course, Pugh’s not getting off quite that easy, and TF asks the dreaded question: is there more of Yelena in her future? “If you get asked to be in a Marvel film, and it was so thrilling and fun and exciting to be in, then of course, your head goes: ‘Oh my God. If this is what it’s like, then what else is next?” She replies. “If that happens and I am lucky enough that people appreciate my character, that’s an exciting road to go on. I would be silly to not be excited by it. I think that being part of the Marvel club is a great honor. But we’ll just see if people like Yelena first.”
*  *  *
“It’s definitely bittersweet because I love my Marvel family,” [Johansson] says. “I’m never going to be ready to not be a part of it. They’ll always be family. I’ll never feel ready to not be in it, because I hate to feel like I’m missing out on stuff with them. And who knows? Maybe at some point, we’ll have some opportunity to collaborate in some other kind of way.

“It was certainly wonderful to be able to produce this with them, because I got to really know the process, and know them in a whole other intimate way. It was very exciting. At the same time, I really feel good about moving on from this chapter. I feel incredibly proud of this film. It’s so strong. It turned out so beautifully. It has so much love in it. Everything in it has intention and purpose. And, you know, I will always love Natasha. I’ve loved to play her, and I feel that she stands alone in this universe in a way that I feel really good about. And sometimes, you know, the most...”

She pauses for a moment. “In every way, and certainly as an actor, it’s always better to leave a situation when you’re on top. And to feel good about something. It’s great. And I feel on top with this. I really do. I’m really proud of it. So we’ll see how everybody else sees it!” she laughs. “But I will always love my experience of it.” Whether she comes back or not, Johansson has finally had the opportunity to go full circle and fulfil the potential that the character promised right from her screen debut 10 years ago: and she’ll hopefully wipe some of that red from her ledger.

 

Edited June 7, 2021 by tv echo

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Let’s Go | Marvel Studios’ Black Widow
Marvel Entertainment    Jun 11, 2021

Ready Set Action Featurette | Marvel Studios’ Black Widow
Marvel Entertainment    Jun 11, 2021

“In Pursuit” Film Clip | Marvel Studios’ Black Widow
Marvel Entertainment    Jun 11, 2021

Tickets and Pre-Orders Now Available | Marvel Studios’ Black Widow
Marvel Entertainment    Jun 11, 2021

 

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Rachel Weisz is ageless...

Marvel Studios' Black Widow - Final Trailer
Marvel Studios Canada   Jun 2, 2021

 

Edited June 13, 2021 by tv echo

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Got This | Marvel Studios’ Black Widow
Marvel Entertainment    Jun 13, 2021

 

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In Black Widow, Natasha Romanoff confronts the darker parts of her ledger when a dangerous conspiracy with ties to her past arises. Pursued by a force that will stop at nothing to bring her down, Natasha must deal with her history as a spy and the broken relationships left in her wake long before she became an Avenger.
*  *  *
Black Widow immediately picks up after the events of Marvel Studios’ Captain America: Civil War. During an intimate press discussion on the set of Black Widow, Johansson reminisced that as an operative, Natasha has always been part of this “greater whole,” whether it was part of the Red Room, or S.H.I.E.L.D., or the Avengers. She’s been part of some unit or makeshift family, but now “after Civil War, it’s all gone. Everything is gone. And for the first time ever, really just on her own.”
*  *  *
“When you find her at the beginning of the film, she’s just broken,” shared Johansson, “and by the end of the film, the goal is to put her back together, but different from before.”
*  *  *
In their discussions, they realized what they wanted to explore was the relationship between Johansson’s Natasha Romanoff and Florence Pugh’s Yelena. Johansson had no interest in the story of “two women competing against one another, trying to take each other down, dethroning one another.” In Black Widow, we witness the love shared in the space of sisterhood.

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The Black Widow trailers showcase the “sisterly” bond between Pugh’s Yelena and Scarlett Johansson’s Natasha. When asked during the set visit, Pugh described her character as “exactly what you expect a younger sister to be like.”
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With those traits in mind, how would she describe the relationship between Natasha and Yelena? “Confusing, bratty, and emotional,” joked Pugh. But make no mistake, their “very unique and strong relationship” is what fundamentally drives the heart of the film.
*  *  *
Rounding out what Pugh described as this “big, bonkers, mad and loud Russian family” are Natasha and Yelena’s parental figures: Rachel Weisz’s Melina and David Harbour’s Alexei/The Red Guardian.
*  *  *
This isn’t a story centered around the Avengers. In fact, “it’s more about our family, where we came from, how we’re broken and how we fix it,” explained Pugh on what drew her to this role and story.

 

Edited June 16, 2021 by tv echo

[AngieBee1]

The embargo is clearly lifted as journalists are posting their reactions to the film. 

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BLACK WIDOW FIRST REACTIONS: ONE OF THE BEST SOLO MOVIES OF THE MCU
EARLY REACTIONS FROM CRITICS ON SOCIAL MEDIA SAY THE STANDALONE PREQUEL HAS THRILLING ACTION, EMOTIONAL DEPTH, AND A STELLAR SUPPORTING CAST LED BY FLORENCE PUGH.
by Christopher Campbell | June 17, 2021
https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/article/black-widow-first-reactions-one-of-the-best-solo-movies-of-the-mcu/

'Black Widow' first reactions praise big action and bigger heart
Scarlett Johansson's swan song marks Marvel's return to theaters
By Andy Kryza   June 18, 2021
https://www.timeout.com/news/black-widow-first-reactions-praise-big-action-and-bigger-heart-061821

 

 

Edited June 18, 2021 by tv echo

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I hope this movie does well, but I guess we'll see on July 9th...

Black Widow Tracking Projects $90M Opening Weekend
By ADAM BARNHARDT - June 19, 2021 
https://comicbook.com/marvel/news/black-widow-box-office-projections-long-range-90-million/ 

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Black Widow is shaping up to be the blockbuster that'll set the box office back on track. Now just over two weeks from release, some industry insiders are projecting the Cate Shortland film will gross between $65 million - $90 million in its first weekend in theaters. Those figures come from Box Office Pro's Shawn Robbins, an analyst who suggests the Marvel Studios blockbuster — the first in two years from the outfit — could gross upwards of $225M globally in addition to its $65M+ domestic haul.

Even at the lower end of the range, a $65M opening for Black Widow would make it the biggest box office weekend since Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker in December 2019. The biggest opening week so far in 2021 is Paramount's A Quiet Place Part II, which raked in $47.5M domestically in its opening bout.

"That prediction is so far backed up by online trends. Black Widow‘s official Marvel Entertainment trailer page on YouTube has generated 14 million views from just the most recent spot released in early April 2021, in addition to the 29 million views of its first trailer released before lockdown on March 9, 2020," Robbins offers in his analysis. "Social media engagement overall is trending on par with the likes of previous “solo” Marvel films like Doctor Strange, Thor: Ragnarok, and Ant-Man and the Wasp."

Despite $65M being the gold standard for Hollywood franchises, that total would make Black Widow the third-smallest opening weekend in the entire MCU, only ahead of Ant-Man ($57.23M) and The Incredible Hulk ($55.41M). An opening around $90M would place the Scarlett Johansson vehicle between Spider-Man: Far From Home ($92.58M) and Thor: The Dark World ($85.74M).

 

Edited June 20, 2021 by tv echo

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Dad Jokes Featurette | Marvel Studios’ Black Widow
Marvel Entertainment   Jun 20, 2021

 

[AngieBee1]

I think it will do well considering the last theatrical MCU film was in 2019. Yes, the Disney+ series is filling that gap but I believe people want a cinematic experience.  But I don't think it will do crazy numbers because I think there are people who don't want to see a Nat standalone, especially as we know how her story ends so this film has no stakes. 

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‘Black Widow’ cast hints at creepy opening credits
By Herb Scribner  Jun 21, 2021
https://www.deseret.com/2021/6/21/22543560/black-widow-opening-credits 

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Kevin Feige said the opening credits were a rare version of MCU opening credits.

“It was tremendous and it ended up being one of our rare, sort of pre-opening title sequences that really helped set the tone and the backstory for Natasha’s character,” he said.
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Feige said the point of the opening credits was “needed to set the stage for ... what these women had gone through.”

I won’t reveal what happens in the opening credits — yes, I’ve seen the film — but the cast did say that the opening credits reference children.

In fact, Feige said the opening credits has “crying children ... screaming, crying children.”

“And this idea came about and it was later in production or even into digital photography, right to showcase that moment they have pulled apart,” he said, hinting at what’s to come.

Scarlett Johansson Teases the Budapest Revelation in Black Widow | The Tonight Show
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon   Jun 22, 2021

 

Edited June 22, 2021 by tv echo

[Anduin]

10 minutes ago, tv echo said:

Scarlett Johansson Teases the Budapest Revelation in Black Widow | The Tonight Show
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon   Jun 22, 2021

 

Yes, let's explain the noodle incident. Oh good. Don't they know how badly it will be received? People will complain that it doesn't match up to their own versions, or fanfics, or just hate the death of mystery. The whole thing is a losing proposition.

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Spy | Marvel Studios’ Black Widow
Marvel Entertainment   Jun 22, 2021

 

 

Edited June 24, 2021 by tv echo

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Control | Marvel Studios’ Black Widow
Marvel Entertainment   Jun 26, 2021

A Spy on the Inside | Marvel Studios' Black Widow
Marvel Entertainment   Jun 26, 2021

 

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Fight | Marvel Studios’ Black Widow
Marvel Entertainment    Jun 27, 2021

 

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Chance | Marvel Studios’ Black Widow
Marvel Entertainment  Jun 28, 2021

 

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Black Widow: ON SET With Scarlett Johansson, Florence Pugh, David Harbour and More! (Exclusive)
Entertainment Tonight   Jun 19, 2021

Director Cate Shortland Talks Black Widow
Skewed and Reviewed Gareth Von Kallenbach    Jun 26, 2021

Rachel Weisz Talks Black Widow
Skewed and Reviewed Gareth Von Kallenbach    Jun 26, 2021

Black Widow Interview With David Harbour
Skewed and Reviewed Gareth Von Kallenbach    Jun 26, 2021

 

Edited June 28, 2021 by tv echo

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Launch | Marvel Studios’ Black Widow
Marvel Entertainment   Jun 28, 2021

'Black Widow''s transatlantic launch party
Associated Press   Jun 30, 2021

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 Actor Florence Pugh and Marvel Studios' president Kevin Feige launch long-delayed "Black Widow" at events in London and Los Angeles. (June 30)

 

Edited June 30, 2021 by tv echo

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Florence Pugh on What Drew Her to the Marvel Cinematic Universe
BY CHRISTINE DINH   June 29, 2021
https://www.marvel.com/articles/movies/florence-pugh-yelena-black-widow-official-movie-special?linkId=122676822 

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Titan Comics, in partnership with Marvel, has released a deluxe hardcover, Marvel's Black Widow: The Official Movie Special Book, now available everywhere books are sold.

This companion guide to Black Widow features all-new interviews with the cast, such as Scarlett Johansson, Florence Pugh, David Harbour, and Rachel Weisz, as well as the talent behind the cameras responsible for bringing Natasha Romanoff's world of espionage to life. In addition to the interviews, experience stunning photos and imagery from the film as well as an in-depth look at the comic history of the iconic Marvel character. 
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Tell us about your character. 
Florence Pugh: I play Yelena, the annoying little sister that says everything that comes to her mind with no consequences. When we meet her she is kind of discovering the world in a new light. She is hurt and complicated and acts out. When she meets Scarlett’s character, Natasha, Yelena is kind of rediscovering who she is after being in the Red Room for so long. So together they realize that they’re both suffering in very similar ways. There is a lovely and unique friendship between the two of them because they are ultimately long-lost sisters. They repair one another and each other’s holes in their lives. At the heart of it is this very brutal journey figuring out who they are, and that’s something that I wouldn’t think would go together with so many amazing explosions and guns and this and that. There actually is this very sad story at the bottom of it.

 

Edited June 30, 2021 by tv echo

[Morrigan2575]

I only watched a few minutes of Angry Joe review but, they said it was good and worth seeing in the theaters. Apparently there's a lot of action, especially in the final act. 

[AngieBee1]

It's action-packed as the other Avengers films, but I liked some of the humor in it which is largely missing from the other films.

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World Premiere Fan Event | Marvel Studios’ Black Widow
Marvel Entertainment   Jun 30, 2021

Black Widow's MCU Journey!
Marvel Entertainment   Jun 30, 2021

 

Edited July 1, 2021 by tv echo

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Natasha & Yelena's Road Trip Playlist?! | Ask Marvel
Marvel Entertainment    Jul 1, 2021

 

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Taskmaster Breakdown Featurette | Marvel Studios’ Black Widow
Marvel Entertainment   Jul 2, 2021

Hero’s Speech | Marvel Studios’ Black Widow
Marvel Entertainment   Jul 2, 2021

Black Widow Cast Responds to IGN Comments
IGN    Jul 3, 2021

Black Widow: David Harbour Talks Red Guardian and His Future in the MCU
Nerdist   Jul 2, 2021

 

Edited July 3, 2021 by tv echo

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One Word | Marvel Studios' Black Widow Cast & Director
Marvel Entertainment   Jul 3, 2021

 

Edited July 5, 2021 by tv echo

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Black Widow currently has a Rotten Tomatoes critics' score of 82% Fresh...
https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/black_widow_2021
 

Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige talks 'Black Widow,' MCU Easter eggs
OnTheRedCarpet   Jun 30, 2021

Event | Marvel Studios’ Black Widow
Marvel Entertainment   Jul 4, 2021

 

Edited July 5, 2021 by tv echo

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‘Black Widow’ Director On Potential Sequel & How Marvel Pic Was Made “To Be Seen In Cinemas”; Domestic Opening B.O. At $80M-$90M
By Anthony D'Alessandro    July 5, 2021
https://deadline.com/2021/07/black-widow-director-cate-shortland-interview-sequel-disney-theaters-box-office-1234786289/ 

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After being delayed for more than a year due to Covid, Black Widow, the second feature movie in the MCU post the franchise’s pinnacle, 2019’s Avengers: Endgame, will finally see the light of day. Industry estimates project that the Scarlett Johansson standalone movie can feasibly open to between $80M-$90M at the domestic B.O.
*  *  *
When the pandemic occurred and pushed Black Widow from its May 1, 2020 launch, did it give you an opportunity to change anything in the film?
Cate Shortland:  No. I think, what happened was, we were about two weeks from finishing. So, we were just fine tuning the last visual effects and everything, and then the pandemic happened, and we were all in lockdown in different houses. What happened was visual effect studios started closing down and the editors were sometimes editing with no sound. We had all these strange things happen. Post-production was probably meant to be two weeks, however, it probably took six weeks to finish the film, but not much changed story wise. I mean, we weren’t having anymore screenings with test audiences. Just as a team, we would watch the film. Scarlett was in New York. So, we’d watch it, and we’d talk about it. I suppose we just tried to make sure it had as much heart as possible.

Tell us about how you landed the directing job. For example, Taika Waititi showed Kevin Feige and the Marvel executives a sizzle reel for how he would present Thor: Ragnarok. Did you create a look book?
CS: Yes, I did that. I worked with an editor in Sydney, and I cut together a reel, like a sizzle reel of what I imagined the film would be, and then I came to L.A., and I showed the producers, and they were excited. The reel had a lot of emotion: It felt like two things — beautiful moment, sometimes underwater, sometimes through the air, like acrobatic movement. I was cutting together film, commercial and documentary, and I was trying to make real moments, and I was trying to choreograph beautiful moments. What I knew that I wanted to do was to choreograph moments of beauty with the widows as well as with Scarlett (Johansson). I didn’t know what the film was about, and they asked me what was I interested in exploring. I said I had a 10-year old daughter and I wanted to explore giving people a voice, giving women a voice. I wanted to make the character as real as possible, because what I’d seen in previous movies, where she was this amazing formidable heroine, but she was kind of a femme fatale, and I wanted to see what was underneath that role.

Please refresh for our readers, the film takes place at a time when Black Widow and Steve Rogers “are on the run.”
CS: It takes place after Civil War. Yes. She’s on the run. So, she’s totally alone when this all begins, which was great because we saw her without any pretense. She didn’t have to be something. She was just a person.

Was the movie based on any specific comic books?
CS: No. I worked with a Russian historian, and we created a backstory. We went back, maybe two years into Russia, into Soviet. We looked at what her life would have actually been like before she came to America.

For you, what was her spiritual journey about? What was essential to crack in presenting the character of Natasha Romanoff?
CS: That she was part of the ether, that she was infinite. What I used was light. So, I show fireflies at the beginning of the film, and they reoccur at the end of the film, and for me, it’s this idea that everything that’s meant to happen has happened and that she’s infinite.
*  *  *
Black Widow got caught up in Disney’s day-and-date experiment with the film being released in theaters and on Disney+ Premier for $29.99. When you first found about this, what was your reaction?
CS: Well, we made this film to be seen in cinemas, and it’s not so much seen in cinemas, it’s felt in cinemas because we created the sound, and the music, and just the huge beautiful spectacle was to be seen on a big screen. So, as a director, I want people, if they’re safe, to see it in that environment, but I know some people can’t for a lot of reasons, pandemic and also a lot of reasons. So, it’s really cool that other people will still get to see the movie.

Do you think there will ever be a sequel to Black Widow?
CS: I think these girls have got a lot of asses still to kick.

 

“Prison Break” Official Clip | Marvel Studios’ Black Widow
Marvel Entertainment   Jul 5, 2021

E60 Presents – Moneymaker: Behind the Black Widow | Trailer
Marvel Entertainment   Jul 5, 2021

Her Story | Marvel Studios’ Black Widow
Marvel Entertainment   Jul 5, 2021

 

Edited July 5, 2021 by tv echo

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Family Reunion Featurette | Marvel Studios’ Black Widow
Marvel Entertainment   Jul 6, 2021

Who’s That Tweet About Challenge | Marvel Studios’ Black Widow
Marvel Entertainment   Jul 6, 2021

 

Edited July 7, 2021 by tv echo

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Kevin Feige: "You will look at the past again in a new light, and we are sowing the seeds of new characters into the future of the MCU."

Future Featurette | Marvel Studios' Black Widow
Marvel Entertainment   Jul 7, 2021

Black Widow | Marvel Studios’ Legends
Marvel Entertainment   Jul 7, 2021

Jump | Marvel Studios’ Black Widow
Marvel Entertainment   Jul 7, 2021

Comeback | Marvel Studios’ Black Widow
Marvel Entertainment   Jul 7, 2021

 

 

[tv echo]

Does ‘Black Widow’ Have A Post-Credits Scene?
Erik Kain   Jul. 8, 2021
https://www.forbes.com/sites/erikkain/2021/07/08/black-widow-post-credits-scene-secret-ending-/?sh=51294da63648 

Quote

Whether you’re watching online on Disney+ or seated in a big dark, socially-distanced theater (or not socially distanced in many cases) you probably want to know whether or not the Scarlett Johansson-led action movie has a post-credits scene / secret scene / hidden ending.

The short answer: Yes it does.
*  *  *
I won’t spoil what happens in the post-credits scene. Suffice to say, a familiar face will show up that

Spoiler

fans of Falcon and the Winter Soldier will recognize.

You’ll get a pretty good sense of where the MCU is headed especially if you piece this secret scene together with one of that show’s final scenes.

 

Edited July 8, 2021 by tv echo

[calliope1975]

Don't look to me for an unbiased review. Marvel takes all my $$$, and I haven't been in a theater in 14 months, so this was going to have to be truly awful for me to not like it. It was a nice sendoff for SJ, and FP is a worthy successor. I'm glad Natasha was able to find some peace with her past and her first family in those missing years when she was on the run. I thought I had been spoiled for Taskmaster but those spoilers were full of lies so that was a nice surprise. Overall, probably mid-tier for me, but there was something special about all those ass kicking ladies and their appropriate tactical clothing. I get what they were going for in IM2 with the sexed up Widow, but I loved not seeing ridiculous cleavage here. I really wish this movie had been greenlit 5 years ago. 

I just saw that bb Natasha was played by Milla Jovovich's daughter. She had me tearing up 8 minutes or so into the movie so I may have to follow her career. 

I see you, Val, building your Antimatter Avengers. Wonder who she'll snag next.

Now I want a vest with many practical pockets. 

 

 

 

Edited July 9, 2021 by calliope1975

[Cranberry]

It's not one of my absolute favorite Marvel movies, but I had a good time. It felt more like a spy movie than a typical Marvel movie, closer in tone to The Winter Soldier. Florence Pugh did indeed steal the show; I loved Yelena and I can't wait to see her again. (I had forgotten that she was going to be on Hawkeye, and now I'm excited for that!) Scarlett and Florence had great sibling chemistry. I can see why people say Taskmaster was just okay as a (minor) villain considering there was a "mindless attack dog" thing going on there, no personality to love/hate, but I liked the resolution.

Overall, I think it was solid, and I'm glad I chose to see it in the theater. 

 

[dmeets]

I was relieved that neither Melina nor Mason turned out to be Taskmaster, since I liked both characters. Not sure how I feel about Taskmaster ending up as yet another one and done villain, though.

Wonder if Mason will turn up again? He could make an interesting counterpoint to the Power Broker..

I think the Phase 4 early reshuffling worked out in Marvel’s favor, as IMO the post-credits scene was more effective having already seen Val before on FatWS, and not knowing at the time that she was apparently hatching a plan against one of the Avengers.

The Hawkeye series suddenly got a lot more interesting to me. Clint will be lucky if it’s only Yelena coming after him; he could just as easily be on the shit lists of Melina, Red Guardian, Taskmaster, and a shit ton of black widows.

[thuganomics85]

The MCU is back in theaters, at last!  As much as I've been enjoying the Disney+ shows, it's nice to finally watch a Marvel film in an auditorium again.

I suspect once the theater high goes down, I'll probably consider this a mid-tier Marvel film which is about what I expected (and I still think Natasha's solo film really should have came before her death in Endgame), but I still thought it was very enjoyable and good entertainment as always (but, again, I still can find positive things to say about the low-tier films like Thor: Dark World and Iron Man 2.)  While it did revert back to its normal formula at the end, I did enjoy the almost spy thriller-like aspects that reminded me a lot of some of the early Bond films and especially the Jason Bourne franchise.  There was a grittiness to a lot of the beginning that I dug and I didn't even mind the slow burn at first, even though I can see that not pleasing some.  Speaking of which, I've heard mixed things about the opening credits and the creepy cover of Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit" that is admittedly a common theme lately, but I thought it worked here: especially with the way they shot the montages.

I know that Scarlett Johansson's performance as Natasha hasn't worked for everyone (and part of me will always wonder what might have been had original choice Emily Blunt not dropped out), but it was nice seeing her take front and center here, and I thought she carried the film well.  I liked seeing more glimpses into what makes her tick and seeing how here past truly has haunted her and why she always felt like redemption was out of reach.  Again, I wish we got all of this a lot sooner, but better late than never, I guess.  But if this is Natasha/Scarlett's official swan song, at least she went out on a high note.

That said, I'm definitely in the camp that thought Florence Pugh stole the show as Yelena.  I thought she had great sibling-like chemistry with Scarlett and enjoyed the character's humor (especially her making fun of the "heroic pose" Black Widow was known for), but also did an excellent job with the dramatic stuff (as great as all of the actors were in the dinner table scene, some of the best moments was when Pugh didn't say anything, but you can just see Yelena's simmering anger throughout it all and especially the pain she felt when Natasha said they weren't a "real family.")  It might be one of the best introductions for any character in the MCU and I really can not wait to see more of Pugh and Yelena going forward.

David Harbour was a hoot as Alexei and Rachel Weisz did what she could as Melina, although I did think she was kind of squandered here (then again, I think any film can be improved upon by having more Rachel Weisz!)  But I was pleasantly surprised that not only did neither one of them become full-blown evil (despite Melina's brief betrayal that she quickly rectified), but they both made it out at the end.  Thought for sure one of them was going to be the "heroic sacrifice", but I'm glad that wasn't the case.

While I did like them bringing back the Red Room aspect of the series, I sadly felt that they regressed back to the "villain problem" scenario that plagued earlier films.  Dreykov was unremarkable and dull, and while I normally like Ray Winstone, he didn't work for me here (probably not helped that he somehow sounded both Russian and Cockney at the same time.)  Meanwhile, Taskmaster looked good and all, but ended up not being as impressive as I hoped.  Still cool seeing Olga Kurylenko again, although I wished they kept her name out of the opening credits, because it made me suspect early on that she was going to be that character.

It pretty much goes without saying at this point but Thaddeus Ross?  Is.  The.  Worst!!!  (Well, either him or Hayward from WandaVision...)

I remember hearing earlier that Valentina Fontaine was suppose to show up here, but I forgot about it while watching, so her showing up at the end credits was fun.  Certainly seems like she's the Nick Fury for her own super group, but one that seems to be more "shades of grey" compared to The Avengers.  First, it was John Walker and now Yelena.  I wonder who she'll try to recruit next?!

Welcome back, Marvel Movies!

[Spartan Girl]

3 hours ago, thuganomics85 said:

It pretty much goes without saying at this point but Thaddeus Ross?  Is.  The.  Worst!!!  (Well, either him or Hayward from WandaVision...)

Hayward at least got his comeuppance. Ross still hasn’t, which vexes me immensely to this day. Maybe Valentina can add him to Yelena’s hit list.

Edited July 9, 2021 by Spartan Girl

[tv echo]

Marvel Studios' Black Widow | What's Up, Disney+
Disney Plus   Jul 8, 2021

 

Also, fyi, various musical themes for Black Widow by composer Lorne Balfe were posted on YouTube today...
https://www.youtube.com/c/MarvelMusicVEVO/videos

Edited July 10, 2021 by tv echo

[Featherhat]

4 hours ago, thuganomics85 said:

It pretty much goes without saying at this point but Thaddeus Ross?  Is.  The.  Worst!!!  (Well, either him or Hayward from WandaVision...)

 

He's like a cockroach at this point, even though his appearance was CW era timeline wise. 

I really did enjoy this, although I opted for Disney + rather than theatres and I think I would have liked the experience better on the big screen. 

I thought this was a pretty good character piece and a fitting enough swan song for Nat even though this movie should have been greenlit after Avengers 1. Still, I'm glad they went for it anyway. 

I do like ScarJo as Nat but I can see why not everyone does. I thought she anchored the film well and even cheesy lines like "I've thought about her every day of my life, whether or not I admitted it to myself." And the thinking she deliberately murdered a child as collateral damage and then for real killed her would be enough to think you can never have redemption.

Yelena definitely stole the movie though. Apart from anything else finally a female character gets to sarcastic quip their way through the movie instead of just rolling their eyes at the boys nonsense. I thought she had great "sibling" chemistry with ScarJo: The Poses! The ouch moment when she talked about the trained killer that little girls call their hero. She ran the gamut of emotions in the family scenes perfectly. It's definitely messed up that the "baby" of the family was the only one who thought it was real and even though she knows it wasn't, it's still her happiest memories. I did cry when she was at Nat's grave. I hope she wasn't snapped so they were able to spend some time together but I assume she was because it makes sense for Nat's complete despair. It's definitely going to be interesting seeing her go after Clint who most definitely should have died. Sorry, Endgame rant.  

The entire "family" put the "fun is dysfunction". David Harbour was great of course "I wanted the Party to feel more like a party and not a bunch of sour pusses!" and Weisz was fine but not given very much to do. I am surprised both of them made it out alive. And I like the dynamics between Alexi who on the surface thought that anything that wasn't Ref Guardian was beneath him but did love his girls and was proud of them. And it was also awkward because they hadn't seen each other in 20 years, even if they weren't The Americans as well. 

O-T Fagbenle was good. Although he didn't have a great amount to work with as "MCU comic side kick" but hey, odds are he'll popup in a D+ show. 

The third act was a bit disappointing. I didn't really care anything about Taskmaster because I was here for the Assassin Family Values and I'd guessed exactly who it was as soon as the character was mentioned but I can see why some were upset at the dud of a bad guy. 

[paigow]

4 hours ago, Spartan Girl said:

Ross still hasn’t, which vexes me immensely to this day. 

Ross took Redhead Natasha into custody - 2 weeks later Blonde Natasha picks up a Quinjet to jailbreak a Ross facility.... Does this mean Ross allowed the escape to happen???? Or is he stupid????

[aghst]

12 hours ago, calliope1975 said:

It was a nice sendoff for SJ, and FP is a worthy successor.

?

This is the first dedicated movie for SJ's character isn't it?

They're not going to make more dedicated movies with that character?

I haven't read all the comics, figured they created the character just to get SJ into the Avenger movies -- and was she in one of the Iron Man movies too?

In the Avengers movies she seemed relatively mortal compared to the other heroes, with her little hand gun and acrobatic moves.  In the trailers she seems more superhuman now.

 

[calliope1975]

1 hour ago, aghst said:

They're not going to make more dedicated movies with that character?

Anything is possible with Marvel, and if I were ScarJo, I'd definitely keep that door open, but it seems like the original Avengers are being phased out and TPTB are setting up the next generation of Avengers. 

[Avabelle]

I loved this film. It’s actually one of my favourites. I thought it was both hilarious in parts and emotional. I can’t believe they waited until now to give ScarJo her own movie. 

[AngieBee1]

This is the first dedicated movie for SJ's character isn't it? They're not going to make more dedicated movies with that character?

First dedicated movie to Natasha, and it is the last time SJ will be seen as the character (at least this is what she says).  I could see Marvel doing a young Black Widow film to see her early years but this is it for Scarlett. 

[AimingforYoko]

Me, after the end-credit scene: Gee, what the hell did Clint do....Oh. Right. Gee, you think helping bring everybody back would get you a pass on the whole five-year killing spree.

I think it was a little unfortunate that Scarlett did the fourth best job in her "family" (Pugh, Harbour, Weisz, Johansson), but I enjoyed this quite a bit. Did they need the big third act set piece? No, but it didn't lessen the overall for me.

[Tenshinhan]

4 hours ago, aghst said:

I haven't read all the comics, figured they created the character just to get SJ into the Avenger movies -- and was she in one of the Iron Man movies too?

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Widow_(Natasha_Romanova)

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natasha_Romanoff_(Marvel_Cinematic_Universe)

[AimingforYoko]

Speaking of comics, the pheromone control thing was from the comics, except it wasn't Dreykov, it was (OG)Nick Fury. Some baddie (I can't recall) synthetically reproduced Fury's pheromones and she defeated it the same way in the comics.

[scarynikki12]

10 hours ago, paigow said:

Ross took Redhead Natasha into custody - 2 weeks later Blonde Natasha picks up a Quinjet to jailbreak a Ross facility.... Does this mean Ross allowed the escape to happen???? Or is he stupid????

I bet $10 that Natasha had already decided to bust her pals out of prison and let Ross capture her so she could interrogate him. Once she got the information she needed she escaped and called her buddy for a jet.

[Jediknight]

Phase 4 has dealt with grief, PTSD, living up impossible legacies, erasing people from history (Isaiah Bradley), and human trafficking.  Seriously, they weren't exactly subtle with the Widows being human trafficking victims.

I enjoyed the movie.  Pugh was excellent, and she was right, she and Nat were both doing a great job.  I swear Rachel Weisz doesn't age, she looks like she's ready for another adventure as Evie.  What can be said about those opening credits?  Holy hell, those credits set to that cover of "Smells Like Teen Spirit", that was perfection.

[tv echo]

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