Marvel Studios is moving forward with the Black Widow solo movie fans have clamored for since Scarlett Johansson first debuted as Natasha Romanoff in the Marvel Cinematic Universe - but now it's too late. Since kicking off its shared superhero universe in 2008, Marvel Studios has grown the MCU into a massive multi-billion dollar franchise that marks its 10th anniversary this year. In order to build up the universe in Phase 1, Marvel Studios released a slew of standalone origin story films that were loosely tied together by post-credits scenes that promised the heroes would eventually unite in The Avengers.In 2012, Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Captain America (Chris Evans), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), and The Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) graduated from their solo franchises to the team-up - and were joined by two other heroes introduced along the way: Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) and Black Widow (Johansson). As the only two members of the original Avengers who hadn't received a solo movie, fans quickly voiced their desire to see either/both heroes star in their own standalone flicks, or unite for a prequel explaining the Budapest line from The Avengers. However, despite Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige teasing a Black Widow movie for many years, it wasn't until 2018 that there was finally some momentum behind the project.Related: Will Black Widow Die in Avengers 4?Marvel Studios tapped Blacklist screenwriter Jac Schaeffer to write the Black Widow movie script, which indicates the solo film is all but assured for Phase 4 of the MCU. Considering the MCU release slate as it stands right now, the earliest a Black Widow movie could premiere is mid-to-late 2019, after Avengers 4 and the Spider-Man: Homecoming sequel debut, though it could also arrive later in Phase 4, in 2020 or beyond. As a result, Black Widow won't get her solo movie until at least nine years after she made her debut in Iron Man 2, and roughly seven years since interest for her standalone film was at its peak. Now, it's too late for a Black Widow movie.

Why Is Marvel Making Black Widow Now?

Black Widow starring Scarlett Johansson happening?

Since Marvel Studios still haven't revealed their exact plans for Phase 4, it's possible they've been planning the Black Widow movie to arrive after Avengers 4 for quite some time. As of now, the only movie with a release date in Phase 4 is the Spider-Man: Homecoming sequel. However, James Gunn's Guardians of the Galaxy 3 and Scott Derrickson's Doctor Strange 2 are presumed to be included on the post-Avengers 4 release slate. Now we can also add Black Widow to the schedule, though it's unclear where exactly in Phase 4 the solo film will arrive.

Still, while Marvel may have been planning to include a Black Widow movie in the MCU at some point, it's undoubtedly been the female-led film for which fans have been clamoring the most. Certainly, fans have been anticipating the solo debut of Captain Marvel, but that's been on the release slate since the studio announced it in 2014. In a franchise with more solo movies starring actors named Chris than female superheroes, one reason fans have been calling for a Black Widow standalone is to see more women-led films in the MCU - and, frankly, for a long time Black Widow was the only prominent female hero who seemed like a viable choice for a spinoff.

Related: Marvel Stars Pitched All-Female Superhero Film

Thankfully, the MCU has since introduced other female heroes, like Tessa Thompson's Valkyrie, Elizabeth Olsen's Scarlet Witch, and Evangeline Lilly's Hope van Dyne/Wasp. But, like Black Widow before them, they're largely relegated to supporting - or sidekick - roles in an ensemble or male character's movie. Since Black Widow is one of the more prominent female heroes in the MCU, and arguably the most prominent hero on the Avengers team who hasn't received a solo film, it makes the most sense for Johansson's Russian assassin to receive a standalone entry. And, since fans have long wanted a Black Widow movie in the MCU, there are undoubtedly going to be many moviegoers excited to show up for Natasha Romanoff's solo debut.

But, since the landscape of the MCU has drastically changed since The Avengers - and even more so since Iron Man 2 - is Marvel Studios' Black Widow movie poorly timed? It may be too late now for a Black Widow film in the MCU.

Why Is It Too Late For A Black Widow Movie?

One of the elements that has made the Marvel Cinematic Universe so successful over the last 10 years has undoubtedly been Marvel Studios' careful long-term planning. Fans saw this in Phase 1, with each movie laying the foundation for The Avengers. But taking it a step further in 2014, Marvel Studios chief Kevin Feige revealed the studio had a road map for its films through 2028, which assured they had an extremely established idea of where the MCU was headed - and their success, even then, indicated it would come to pass.

Now nearly four years later, the MCU has only grown in success, likely meaning Marvel will stick to their road map. However, the problem with an established plan is that it doesn't offer too much wiggle room to account for the demand of fans. Of course, we have seen Marvel alter their plans to incorporate fan-favorite characters. That's exactly what the studio did when they struck a deal with Sony to bring Spider-Man into the MCU. Marvel shifted a number of their release dates - including Black Panther and Captain Marvel - to make room for Spider-Man: Homecoming in 2017. But that only seems to offer weight to the idea that Marvel has been planning a Black Widow movie, they just didn't officially announce it.

Related: Predicting The 20 Marvel Movies After Avengers 4

So, Marvel may have been planning a Black Widow movie for a long time - perhaps even since the character was introduced in 2010 - but the interest in the character's solo movie has somewhat diminished over the years. While there is undoubtedly still interest in a Black Widow movie, interest was at its peak immediately following The Avengers, since that was truly the character's breakout role in the MCU. It doesn't help that fans were deeply critical of the character's arc in Avengers: Age of Ultron, which veered from the comics and established a romantic relationship between Nat and Bruce Banner. Although the character may be course corrected in Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers 4, Age of Ultron seemed to diminish interest in a Black Widow movie.

On a larger scale looking at the current landscape of superhero movies, a Black Widow film isn't quite as revolutionary in terms of diverse representation as it was in 2010 or 2012. With Warner Bros. and DC Films' Wonder Woman paving the way for female-led superhero films in the genre's latest resurgence, and a number of shows in the realm of TV (including DCTV's Supergirl as well as Marvel's own Agent Carter and Jessica Jones), there are more stories focusing women in comic book adaptations now than when Black Widow was introduced to the MCU.

That's not to say we have enough female-led stories in superhero fare and we don't need another one, but fans and consumers of media have raised the bar in terms of expectations for diverse representation since 2012, particularly when it comes to race and sexuality. This month marks a major milestone for superhero adaptations, as Black Lightning will introduce the first Black lesbian superhero with Nafessa Williams' Thunder. A movie about a white cisgender heterosexual woman is still necessary because male-led (especially white male-led) superhero films continue to dominate the genre, but fans may be more interested in seeing entirely new stories told - like that of Marvel's comic book characters Kamala Khan, America Chavez, and Riri Williams.

Related: Now is the Time' For All Female Marvel Movie

Certainly, Marvel Studios' seemingly lack of dedication to female-led stories has been a point of contention among fans for years. It will have taken the MCU 10 years to have a female character co-headline a movie (arriving this year with Peyton Reed's Ant-Man and the Wasp) and 11 for a solo female-led film when Captain Marvel hits theaters in 2019. Over the years, Feige has attributed the lack of female-led films in the MCU to "timing", and has pointed to Black Widow's roles in other movies as evidence that the studio isn't completely avoiding female characters. But if Marvel has had an extensive plan for the MCU since day one - or even since 2014 - the studio's lack of female-led solo movies on its slate (just one in 10 years) indicates films led by women haven't been a priority.

Now that Marvel has finally announced the Black Widow movie - even though they recruited a female screenwriter - it feels like too little, too late. If Marvel Studios' track record is any indication, the movie will likely be a critical and financial success. Certainly, both Johansson and Black Widow are well known enough by casual audiences that the film will be a hit at the box office, and Marvel's movies have continually been praised by critics. Plus, for those fans who have wanted a Black Widow movie since her debut in Iron Man 2, news of Marvel finally moving forward on the project is no doubt exciting. But with that said, it's difficult to ignore that fans haven't been clamoring for a Black Widow movie quite as much as just after The Avengers. And, with new fan-favorite characters like Thompson's Valkyrie joining the MCU, Marvel missed the boat on its Black Widow movie.

Next: Marvel Phase 4 Announcements Won't Happen Until After Avengers 4

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