'Black Widow' Sequel Is Still Possible, But Without Scarlett Johansson (Obviously)

Following the demise of Natasha Romanoff in Avengers: Endgame, the upcoming Black Widow movie has to turn back time for a story set between Captain America: Civil War and Avengers: Infinity War. But that doesn't mean a Black Widow sequel should be ruled out in the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Director Cate Shortland confirmed that a Black Widow sequel is possible, but there's a catch. Thankfully, there's already a way to work around it.

Before you read any further, you should know that this post has to dive into Black Widow SPOILERS, so proceed with caution.

Speaking with the RadioTimes, Cate Shortland was asked if Black Widow could have a sequel sometime down the road, and she responded, "I think following a different character, yes." Shortland added:

"I think Scarlett is really happy that she's leaving the party, you know, and she's not the last to leave. She decided she wanted to go. And I don't think she would want to come back at the moment."

The end of Black Widow leads directly to the events of Avengers: Infinity War, so there's not much room for another adventure with Natasha Romanoff during that time period anyway. There's always the possibility that another movie could dig into her past even more with another mission, perhaps one where she was teamed up with Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) while working for SHIELD. But without Scarlett Johansson, that probably won't happen. But there's a much better way to continue the Black Widow franchise.

Even though Black Widow is the moniker adopted by Natasha Romanoff as an assassin and an Avenger, it's also a more general name given to any of the female assassins who have been recruited, manipulated, and trained by the Red Room. That means Natasha's adoptive sister Yelena (played by Florence Pugh) is also a Black Widow, and since she's left alive at the end of the movie, she can easily step into her sister's shoes.

Furthermore, there's a Black Widow post-credits scene that certainly sets the stage for what we'll be seeing Yelena doing next in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. However, since the movie doesn't arrive in theaters until next week, we're waiting a little while before we dig into the details of that scene. But suffice it to say, that there's plenty of room for Yelena to have a future in the MCU, and she could easily lead her own Black Widow movie at some point.

For her part, Cate Shortland said she would be happy to come back for another round. The director said, "All the beautiful fights and the spectacle, and I think just creating something really fun and joyous is pretty addictive. So yeah, I would do it again. Yes."

Black Widow arrives in theaters and on Disney+ Premier Access starting on July 9, 2021.