It's an exciting time to be a fan of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. We're aware that this very much seems to be the case with this franchise the vast majority of the time, but with the Multiverse Saga ramping up efforts to ensure it delivers for fans, we're back to getting high quality project after high quality project.
It's also worth remembering that this is the Multiverse Saga, so even with some of the earlier flaws, it has given the MCU the chance to bring back some beloved faces (both from the franchise and from before its own existence). That's an exciting thing to see, and it's certainly an incredible feat to pull off.
What makes the next few years of the MCU particularly exciting for fans of the franchise is the release of Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. Both films are set to bring about an end to the saga but not before bringing back some familiar faces to do so. We know that multiple MCU veterans will return, from Robert Downey Jr. to Chris Evans, to Hayley Atwell. And, according to reports, another beloved Avenger may appear, too.
Scarlett Johannsson rumored to potentially return as Black Widow
Another original Avenger may be about to make a return to the MCU, too. A new report from established scooper account Marvel Updates claims that Scarlett Johansson has had conversations with Marvel Studios about reprising her role as Natasha Romanoff, a.k.a. Black Widow, in the MCU.
Though the report doesn't outright say when she could return (if at all, of course), the obvious choice would be Avengers: Doomsday. That film already has a number of original Avengers set to return, with Iron Man star Robert Downey Jr. set to play the main villain in Doctor Doom. Chris Evans is also expected to return, potentially in multiple roles, with speculation that he could be playing an evil version of his iconic Captain America character. And with that, could Johansson play an evil version of Black Widow, just to bring back all three of the original Avengers stars who are no longer a part of the franchise?
Johansson is one of the franchise's most tenured performers, appearing as Natasha Romanoff for the first time all the way back in 2010's Iron Man 2. She went on to become one of the film series' most pivotal players, as Black Widow became one of the original six Avengers. The star reprised her role in that film's three sequels, while also appearing in two Captain America movies and also making a cameo in Captain Marvel. She then - finally - headlined her own standalone movie in 2021's Black Widow; a prequel designed to serve as a send-off to the character while also introducing her sister, Yelena Belova, as the next Widow of the MCU.
Florence Pugh is now expected to reprise her role as Yelena in both Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, as the cast of Thunderbolts* (of which she is the star) are reportedly set to play a part in the events of the Multiverse Saga's conclusion. With that in mind, it would certainly make for an emotional moment if she came face-to-face with a variant of her sister. Which emotion we don't yet know, because it could very well be trauma if it's an evil one she faces off against.
Of course, it would be lovely to see the real Natasha, too. Fans weren't thrilled about the way Black Widow's demise was handled in Avengers: Endgame, with most feeling that she deserved better than a death that couldn't be undone (and was subsequently overshadowed in the movie by Tony Stark's death). Could the potential end of the Multiverse Saga create a reality where that event didn't go down exactly like that? Could it be undone at all?
If these upcoming Avengers movies are truly about celebrating Marvel on the big screen - its past, its present, and its future - then it goes without saying that Scarlett Johansson deserves a place there. The MCU's first female superhero, and a true powerhouse of a character in every way, Natasha Romanoff is never far from our thoughts. It would be wonderful to see her on the big screen one more time.