With the release of Black Widow only a couple of weeks away, it seems like the Marvel movie could set a precedent for the MCU – we may be getting more prequels, according to Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige.
Set after the events of Captain America: Civil War, the movie will see Scarlett Johansson take one final turn as Natasha Romanoff (AKA Black Widow) – the character met a fateful end in Avengers: Endgame, so this is likely to be the last time we see her on the big screen.
"Certainly, this film and this story is a particular case for Natasha," Feige said at a recent press conference. "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."
Natasha's solo movie has certainly been a long time coming, with fans keen to see her take center stage for more than a decade now. Black Widow will see her taking on life as a fugitive and reconnecting with figures from her past as a KGB agent. Directed by Cate Shortland, the movie also stars Florence Pugh, Rachel Weisz, David Harbour, and O-T Fagbenle.
With the concept of time gradually being turned on its head in the MCU, the idea of exploring more characters' pasts seems like a logical progression for the franchise. Disney Plus series Loki is set in an alternate timeline during the events of Avengers: Endgame, for example, and the upcoming Doctor Strange sequel is set to formally introduce us to the concept of the multiverse. Of course, prequels are a lot more straightforward, so if anything it's surprising that we haven't seen more of them in the MCU so far. Plus, as Feige says, they're a great way to get personal with specific characters.
Originally due to be released in May 2020, Black Widow finally arrives simultaneously in theaters and on Disney Plus Premier Access on July 9. While we wait, make sure you're up to date on the MCU with our guide to Marvel Phase 4.
