We asked AI who should play the next Black Widow in the MCU (and we love its picks)

Black Widow/Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson) in Marvel Studios' BLACK WIDOW, in theaters and on Disney+ with Premier Access. Photo by Jay Maidment. ©Marvel Studios 2021. All Rights Reserved.
Black Widow/Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson) in Marvel Studios' BLACK WIDOW, in theaters and on Disney+ with Premier Access. Photo by Jay Maidment. ©Marvel Studios 2021. All Rights Reserved.

As the Marvel Cinematic Universe continues to evolve, we can’t help but wonder who will be the next actors to portray characters we’ve already seen onscreen. Here’s what AI thinks about the next Black Widow casting.

It’s truly hard to believe after debuting their first movie with Iron Man in 2008, the Marvel Cinematic Universe is 15 years old. Over the years, we’ve gotten some of the best superhero and action movies ever made, and the studio made a startling amount of money at the box office. And of course, the MCU is nowhere near over yet.

Now that we’ve reached Phase Five, it’s really become apparent that the sky’s the limit for this cinematic universe. We can’t wait to see what the next 15 years bring!

And while we know a highly anticipated slate of movies is up next, including titles like Blade, Deadpool 3, and Fantastic Four, we’re sure the studio will end up surprising us with the storylines they choose after that and the characters they decide to bring back. Similar to DC Studios, we imagine we’ll be seeing different iterations of beloved superheroes we’ve seen onscreen already, for example, the original Avengers.

While we might not see Robert Downey Jr. reprise his role as Iron Man, it’s entirely possible the character could be recast at some point in the future. The same goes for Black Widow. While thinking about which actors could play the beloved Avengers in new storylines, we decided to ask the AI tool ChatGPT who it thinks could play the next Natasha Romanoff.

ChatGPT names actors who could play Black Widow next

AI gave me multiple answers, and I love these options:

"First, we have Anya Taylor-Joy, renowned for her captivating performances in films like The Queen’s Gambit and Split. With her enigmatic presence and versatility, she could bring a fresh take to the character while embodying the strength and cunning of Natasha Romanoff.Another contender is Florence Pugh, who already made her mark as Yelena Belova in Black Widow. Her portrayal was met with praise, and she demonstrated both the vulnerability and fierce determination befitting a Black Widow. Considering her age, she could seamlessly step into the role and continue the legacy.We must also consider rising star Millie Bobby Brown, known for her standout role as Eleven in the hit series Stranger Things. Despite her young age, she has showcased remarkable talent and intensity, proving her potential to embody the Black Widow’s resilience and complexity.Lastly, we have Kaitlyn Dever, an incredibly talented actress whose performances in Booksmart and Unbelievable have earned critical acclaim. With her natural charisma and ability to convey emotional depth, she could infuse the Black Widow with a captivating presence."

I’ve got to give it to ChatGPT — these answers are interesting! Anya Taylor-Joy and Millie Bobby Brown are my personal favorite picks. It’s funny AI also chose Florence Pugh, considering after the show Hawkeye, she could be the next Black Widow. But we’re looking for someone to play the role of Natasha Romanoff in a hypothetical future movie or show. Kaitlyn Dever is also a great choice as she’s incredibly talented. I really loved her in the Hulu show Dopesick; her performance was devastating.

Scarlett Johansson played Black Widow for over a decade, first debuting in the MCU in 2010’s Iron Man 2. During an interview on Gwyneth Paltrow’s The Goop Podcast, the actress confirmed she won’t be returning to the role. “I’m done,” she stated. “Chapter is over. I did all that I had to do.”

At 19 years old, Brown could be a really interesting pick to play a younger version of Natasha. We don’t know what the future holds for the MCU past the next couple of years, but we’re sure we’ll be seeing some familiar faces again.