Black Widow director Cate Shortland breaks down the fight scene between Natasha Romanoff and Yelena Belova. Scarlett Johansson's final MCU film introduced her character's adopted younger sister played by Florence Pugh. The pair was part of the undercover family that was sent by General Dreykov (Ray Winstone) in the U.S. in 1995, while Alexei Shostakov/Red Guardian (David Harbour) and Melina Vostokoff (Rachel Weisz) played their girls' parents.

After their covert mission was finished, the family was separated from each other. It wasn't until the main events of Black Widow that they were reunited for the last time to finally take down the Red Room. Nat and Yelena's first encounter after more than two decades was less than ideal. Instead of an emotional reunion in Budapest, they started going at each other. The fight was brutal — both of them seems willing to kill each other if that meant keeping themselves safe. It was one of the most memorable action sequences in the movie as it was full of emotion from the estranged sisters.

Related: Black Widow Redid Natasha's Cut Endgame Storyline Better

In a new feature with New York Times, Shortland dissects the aforementioned Black Widow fight scene. She reveals that thanks to Pugh's background in dancing and Johansson's years in the MCU, they were able to film a lot of this choreographed tussle with both of them involved. The filmmaker also shares the motivation behind each character during this whole sequence, citing that while they're family, both are also trained killers who are both cautious to let their guards down. After they've calmed down, Shortland adds that the scene where they moved to the bedroom as they discussed the Red Dust was meant to mimic two teenage girls arguing about clothes. Watch the full clip below:

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Known for its fight scenes, this small, one-on-one scuffle between Nat and Yelena is arguably the best one in Black Widow. Unlike the subsequent action sequences which involved breaking Red Guardian from prison and Black Widows fighting them, not to mention the previous encounter between Nat and Taskmaster, this one has emotional weight. Back when they lived a somewhat normal life in Ohio, the sisters were very close. It was clear how much Nat cared about Yelena when she even begged Dreykov to save her from the Red Room. However, Nat's failure to take down the Red Room years ago and her successful defection inadvertently made it more difficult for Black Widows left to escape, including Yelena.

Admittedly, it would be great to see more of Nat and Yelena's relationship in the MCU. Despite their relationship being the emotional core of Black Widow, there's just not enough time to fully delve into the complexities of their dynamics. With Nat gone, there's no chance that Marvel Studios can build on what they introduced in their latest standalone movie. The great thing is, Yelena is expected to play a major role in the franchise's future, so expect to see more of her in the coming years.

More: How Black Widow Contradicts Nat’s Avengers: Endgame Story

Source: NY Times

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