What Scarlett Johansson & Florence Pugh Revealed On The Black Widow Set

In Fall 2019, Screen Rant visited the London set of Black Widow along with a group of publications and spoke to stars Scarlett Johansson and Florence Pugh about the upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe movie. The solo vehicle for Johansson's Natasha Romanoff has been a long time coming, with the actress making her MCU debut as Black Widow in 2010's Iron Man 2 before going on to become one of the original six members of Earth's Mightiest Heroes in The Avengers. It was in the wake of The Avengers' 2012 release that hype for a Black Widow film was extremely high, with fans eager to learn more about the super spy. Now almost a decade later, the solo film is hitting theaters on July 9.

In Black Widow, Johansson's Natasha is on the run following the events of Captain America: Civil War, and she reunites with members of her spy "family," including Pugh's Yelena, David Harbour's Alexei aka Red Guardian and Rachel Weisz's Melina. In addition to Nat, both Yelena and Melina were trained in the Red Room - the Black Widow training program - and together they'll confront the organization that turned them into the spies they became. Additionally, Black Widow will presumably serve as a sendoff for Johansson, whose character died in Avengers: Endgame. With Marvel delivering the long-awaited Black Widow movie and it possibly being Johansson's final MCU film, it has the potential to kick off Phase 4 with a bang - and now we can divulge what we learned on set.

While visiting the London set of Black Widow in Fall 2019, Screen Rant joined a group of reporters to speak to both Johansson and Pugh about their upcoming MCU film. Though they couldn't reveal too much, due to Marvel keeping spoilers under lock and key, they did tease what's to come for their characters - and how Nat and Yelena's sister-like relationship plays into the movie. Here are the biggest things Johansson and Pugh revealed on the Black Widow set.

Scarlett Johansson Is Thankful Black Widow Didn't Come Earlier In the MCU

Scarlett Johansson as Natasha in Black Widow Movie

Although it's taken more than a decade since her character's introduction to the Marvel franchise, Johansson said she's actually glad Black Widow is coming much later in the MCU. The actress explained that if Marvel Studios had made Black Widow a decade prior, it would've been a much different film. "In some ways I’m actually very thankful that it’s happening now," Johansson said. "Because we can actually make a movie that’s about real stuff."

Although Johansson didn't elaborate on what "real stuff" Black Widow will tackle, Pugh did hint at a heartbreaking thread in the film with regards to the Red Room. "This film is ... essentially about women that have been abused," Pugh said. "Whether it’s about a system or whether it’s about physical abuse, they’ve all been, in some way, trapped." Little is known about the Red Room, but as revealed in Avengers: Age of Ultron, the program did take away Natasha's ability to have children, which was an integral part of the character's story in the second Avengers installment.

While Black Widow will explore Natasha's past, it's not an origin story movie. As Johansson explained, she never wanted the Black Widow movie to be an origin story - and Marvel Studios never intended for it to be. "I just didn’t want to go back that [far]," Johansson said. "I wanted to move forward - even though we are going back, but it’ll make sense when you see it." So although Black Widow may finally answer some questions about Natasha's history, it's still about further developing the character rather than going back to tell her origin story.

Why Black Widow Is Set After Captain America: Civil War

Scarlett Johansson as Natasha Romanoff in Black Widow

The Black Widow movie is set between Captain America: Civil War and Avengers: Infinity War, a time in which Natasha has violated the Sokovia Accords and is, therefore, no longer an Avenger, but she's also not yet part of Steve Rogers' (Chris Evans) team that's seen when Thanos' minions arrive on Earth. As Johansson explained, it's this lack of ties to any organization or team that made this particular era in the MCU timeline the perfect setting for Black Widow. "It felt like a good time because Natasha has always worked for [someone], she’s always been a part of some operation ... whether it was the Red Room or SHIELD or the Avengers, she’s had this kind of family, for better or worse," Johansson said. "Then after Civil War, it’s all gone. Everything is gone and she’s, for the first time ever really just on her own."

The actress went on to explain that she and Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige agreed the era between Civil War and Infinity War was the perfect time to dive deeper into Natasha's story. In terms of what that means for the character, Johansson said, "When you find her in the beginning of the film, she’s just broken and by the end of the film, the goal is to put her back together, but different than before." So the Black Widow movie will act as a bridge between where the MCU left Natasha at the end of Civil War and where she's seen again in Infinity War, while offering some character development.

Black Widow's Avengers: Infinity War Easter Egg Confirmed

Alexei tells Natasha and Yelena he's proud of them in Black Widow

As some have noticed, the Black Widow movie trailers and images have teased a connection between Yelena's costume in the upcoming film and Natasha's outfit from Infinity War. The green vest Pugh's character wears in Black Widow is quite similar to the one Nat wears when she fights alongside the Avengers in Infinity War. When Johansson was asked about the vest while on set, she confirmed it's a deliberate connection between her and Pugh's characters. "It actually is an important thing," Johansson explained. "It seems very superficial, but it actually is very unique, it’s a very meaningful thing." She went on to say, "It’s an heirloom, it becomes an heirloom in this unexpected, funny way."

In terms of whether they knew the vest would be tied into the Black Widow movie when they were designing it for Infinity War, though, Johansson said that wasn't the case. Originally, it was just part of Natasha's new look for the third Avengers movie. But, Johansson said, "That’s totally a Kevin Feige thing. He loves all of that backstory stuff and things that connect characters to one another." She explained that he excels at taking "innocuous" things and giving them "heart" by using them to create connections across the MCU. So while all the details about how Nat gets the vest from Yelena remain unclear, it is confirmed to be the same vest.

What Yelena Adds To The Marvel Universe & How She Fits Into Black Widow

On the Black Widow set, Johansson revealed Yelena was always going to be part of Natasha's story in the solo film, but the dynamic between the characters was originally very different, more adversarial. "The story of two women competing against one another and trying to take each other down and dethrone one another felt, like, not interesting," Johansson explained, going on to say that kind of dynamic felt "old-fashioned" and not true to life. "The relationship developed into what it is, which is a relationship that is grounded in a shared experience and a knowingness and sisterhood." That sisterly relationship is certainly present in Black Widow, according to Pugh, who described Yelena as "bratty" and "deeply annoying" to Natasha, in the way of a little sister. Yelena "pretty much takes the mickey out of everything Natasha does," Pugh said. "But fundamentally they have a very unique and strong relationship that drives them through the film."

In terms of what Yelena brings to the MCU, Pugh spoke more about the new Marvel character set to be introduced in Black Widow. "There’s no bells and whistles with [Yelena]," Pugh explained. "She gets the job done and whether that’s fighting someone or verbally abusing someone, it’s all pretty straightforward." The actress went on to say, "She’s ready to fight whether it’s argument or physical, there’s no stopping her." That "verbal abuse" has certainly been seen in the Black Widow trailers, particularly with regard to her interactions with Natasha, like one scene showing Yelena poking fun at Natasha's superhero poses.

But Pugh went on to say that behind the scenes, she's enjoyed working with Johansson, who took the younger actress under her wing and was "super helpful" to the newest Marvel star. Ironically, Pugh and Johansson's first scene together on Black Widow was the one in which their characters first reconnect and fight each other in an apartment. When speaking about the stunts she performed on the film, Pugh talked about "really shoving Scarlett Johansson against the kitchen counter." She went on to reveal that "was the first day that I actually worked with her and we’d only met like a week previous." But it all turned out well, Pugh said, "We fell in love during that fight because it was just so messy." Given the relationship dynamic between Yelena and Natasha it seems like filming the fight scene first was appropriate for Pugh and Johansson.

What Director Cate Shortland Brings To Black Widow

Florence Pugh, Cate Shortland and Scarlett Johansson on the set of Black Widow

When the Black Widow movie formally started moving forward, Marvel Studios made a concerted effort to recruit a female director to helm the female-fronted film. Marvel met with over 65 directors for Black Widow before settling on Cate Shortland (Lore). She directed the film from a screenplay by Eric Pearson (Godzilla vs. Kong) based on a story by Jac Schaeffer (WandaVision) and Ned Benson (The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby). On the Black Widow set, Johansson spoke about how Natasha has evolved throughout her time in the MCU, particularly the slight differences in the character based on the director. As for Shortland, Johansson said, "With Cate it’s just been so liberating because she’s not afraid of any of the ugliness or what is perceived to be ugliness - the embarrassing, uncomfortable parts." The actress went on to say, "That’s what she wants to make movies about."

With Shortland, Black Widow will be the first time Johansson's Natasha is directed by a woman. The actress is hopeful the solo movie will be an opportunity for MCU fans to see multiple layers of the character. "I hope that we see Natasha’s real true strength in this film more than ever before," Johansson said. "And I think Cate will bring that out." Although Marvel fans won't get a chance to see Shortland's MCU entry until July, it's clear Johansson and Marvel Studios are confident in her take on Natasha Romanoff.

How Black Widow Has Evolved Since Iron Man 2

Scarlett Johansson and Florence Pugh on the set of Black Widow

When Black Widow releases next month, it will have been over 11 years since Johansson originated the character of Natasha in Iron Man 2. In that time and over the course of seven movies, the Black Widow character has naturally evolved. While on set of her solo movie, the actress reflected on who Natasha was at the beginning of her journey and where she is during Black Widow. "She’s seductive in this kind of way [in] that Iron Man 2 beginning phase, and that’s her power," Johansson explained. "Her power is in her sexuality and then that changed over time. Her strength was actually her vulnerability, that’s the place we’re in now."

This evolution is what brings her to sacrifice herself in Avengers: Endgame, ensuring Clint Barton (Jeremy Renner) is able to obtain the Soul Stone so that their team can defeat Thanos once and for all. "She really sacrifices herself out of her love, she saves her friend - she saves everyone, but she saves her friend," Johansson said. "I think that just being in that kind of head space and being able to make that decision, that selfless decision, that selfless act, is so incredibly powerful." As Johansson implies, the version of Nat who sacrifices herself in Endgame is a far cry from the super spy who originally joined the fight in The Avengers. When Black Widow releases, fans will get the chance to see another step in the evolution of Johansson's Natasha Romanoff, as well as meet Pugh's new addition to the MCU in Yelena.

Next: Who Is Taskmaster? Black Widow's Villain Comic Origin & Powers Explained

Ahead of its release, Black Widow tickets are on sale. Stay tuned for more Black Widow set visit coverage right here on Screen Rant.