After an extensive search that included 70 candidates, Marvel Studios has found a director for the upcoming Black Widow film. Announced by the Hollywood Reporter, Taking over directorial duties will be Cate Shortland, director of the 2012 Nazi drama Lore. Scarlett Johanssen is expected to play the lead role. The film’s most recent draft was written by Jac Schaeffer.
The Black Widow movie will be reportedly set at some point prior to the first Avengers film and explore how Natasha Romanoff became one of the deadliest assassins on the planet before defecting to SHIELD and later the Avengers. Demand for a film for Widow has been in demand for some years now, with studio head Kevin Feige offering vague responses. It wasn’t until last year that actual progress on the film was being made. Before Shortland’s hiring, all the director candidates were women, said to be a high priority.
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Black Widow the character first appeared in Marvel’s Tales of Suspense comics in 1964. Created by Stan Lee and Dons Rico and Heck, Natasha was originally an antagonist for Iron Man and even got Hawkeye to become a villain as well before defecting to the United States. In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, she’s technically the fourth Avenger to appear on screen, but has appeared in at least two movies from each Marvel Phase.
Black Widow does not yet have a release date.