Before Marvel made the audacious Avengers, a movie centered around a disparate group of costumed superheroes all played by big stars, they spent time fleshing out the stories of the individual characters first. Iron Man had two films, while the Hulk, Captain America, and Thor each got one. Even Black Widow and Hawkeye had brief appearances before joining up with their superpowered teammates. While the Hulk's solo movie status is in question, Thor, Cap, and Tony will all have a trilogy to their name when this November's Thor: Ragnarok arrives. Despite having appeared in 5 MCU films to date, many fans are still hoping Black Widow will get her own similar treatment.

It's hardly a wild wish, either. Joss Whedon has said he would helm the film, and both Jeremy Renner and Anthony Mackie want their characters to appear. We know Scarlett Johansson is interested and that it's her favorite role. Add in the fact that she's the highest grossing female actor active right now and it's not as if the film doesn't have legs. The docket of Marvel films so far is sadly absent of Black Widow, but perhaps that can change in the years and phases to come.

For Johansson's part, she's still all in. Games Radar has some quotes from the actor as part of her new Total Film cover story detailing her upcoming film, Ghost in the Shell. As she tells it, a Black Widow solo film is still very much a possibility:

“I’ve talked to Kevin Feige about it. We’re creatively really compatible.  I think we both agree that the character is right for a standalone, it’s just a case of timing at this point for both Marvel and myself.”

Black Widow Marvel

It's good to know that the head of Marvel Studios and Johansson are not only both game, but think Black Widow is deserving of a film. It's also heartening to learn they mesh creatively, meaning that only pesky timing is preventing fans' dream from coming true. Timing isn't nothing, though, as both Marvel and Johansson are exceedingly busy:

“Marvel has a really huge roster. They’re looking four years ahead. I also have a lot of things that I want to do. If I did it, I would dedicate myself completely to making it amazing. It would have to be the best version that movie could possibly be. Otherwise, I would never do it.”

Marvel will start pumping out 3 films a year starting this summer, so Johansson is right that they've got a packed schedule. Still, that also means there are plenty of slots that could be filled by a Black Widow solo film. While fans want new characters and sequels to hit movies, Black Widow is something that has long been sought. Perhaps the answer is to free it from the constraints of the MCU, similar to the approach Guardians of the Galaxy has taken:

“It’d have to be done the right way, though. It’d really have to be its own standalone and its own style and its own story. But there’s a lot of great stuff that you could do with it. It could just be awesome.”

Whatever it takes for Marvel and Johansson to make room in their respective schedules to turn the dream of a Black Widow movie into a reality, we hope they work it out. For now, there's no definitive plans on the horizon, unless Marvel knows something we don't. We're kidding, of course, as Marvel definitely knows plenty of things that we don't.

NEXT: Complete Guide to the Marvel Cinematic Universe

We'll bring you all the news on a potential Black Widow solo movie as it arrives.

Source: Games Radar