Black Widow (film)

*This article is about the film. For the character, see Natasha Romanoff.*

***Black Widow*** is a 2021 film and the first in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU)'s Phase Four. It was produced by Marvel Studios, and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. The film was directed by Cate Shortland, from a screenplay written by Eric Pearson, based on a story by Jac Schaeffer and Ned Benson. The film is the first to feature the Black Widow character headlining her own solo film, having appeared in previous films in the MCU, beginning with *Iron Man 2* in 2010. The film is also in a unique position, as *Avengers: Endgame* in 2019, had killed off Black Widow, with this film being set between 2016's *Captain America: Civil War* and 2018's *Avengers: Infinity War*.

## Briefing

In a period where the Avengers have split due to the Sokovia Accords, Natasha Romanoff is confronted with her past without them. Although going back to where her live as the Black Widow first began: The Red Room, reunites her with her other dysfunctional family.

## Cast

### Main

* Scarlett Johansson as Natasha Romanoff (Black Widow).
	+ Ever Anderson as young Natasha.
* Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova (Black Widow).
	+ Violet McCraw as young Yelena.
* David Harbour as Alexei Shostakov (Red Guardian).
* O-T Fagbenle as Mason.
* Olga Kurylenko as Antonia Dreykov (Taskmaster).
	+ Ryan Kiera Armstrong as young Atonia.
* William Hurt as Thunderbolt Ross, the US Secretary of State.
* Ray Winstone as Dreykov, a Russian general in charge of the Red Room.
* Rachel Weisz as Melina Vostokoff (Black Widow).

### Supporting

* Nanna Blondell as Ingrid (Black Widow)
* Michelle Lee as Oksana (Black Widow)
* Boris Yeltsin as a photo of Himself.
* Jimmy Carter as a photo of Himself.
* Bill Clinton as a photo of Himself.
* Condoleezza Rice as a photo of herself.
* Vladimir Putin as a photo of himself.
* Kurt Yue as Ross's lieutenant.
* Jeremy Renner as the voice of Clint Barton.
* Liran Nathan as mechanic.
* Judit Varga-Szathmary as mechanic's wife.
* Noel Krisztian Kozak as mechanic's son.
* Olivier Richters as Ursa.
* Andrew Byron as cookie gulag guard.
* Ed Ashe as strudel gulag guard.
* Unknown as Alexei the pig.
* Unknown as Fanny.
* Julia Luis-Dreyfus as Countessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine.

## Mentioned-only characters

* T'Challa
* Sam Wilson
* Scott Lang
* Steve Rogers (Captain America)
* Tony Stark
* Thor
* Natasha's mother
* Alexei's father

## Notes

* Runtime is 2:13:46.
* The Contessa Valentina was originally planned to debut in this film, but due to COVID-19, the film had been postponed, leading to her appearances in *The Falcon and The Winter Soldier* occurring first.

## Cultural references

* Disney's *DuckTales* plays in the background of young Natasha's home and the Red Room.
* Young Yelena is a fan of the song "American Pie."
* While hiding in Norway at her safehouse, Natasha watches the film *Moonraker*.

## Gallery

### Posters

D23 Expo 2019 poster.Teaser poster.Final theatrical poster, with the original date.Theatrical poster with the next proposed date.
## See also

* List of unnamed characters in Black Widow

## References

1. ↑ Robinson, Joanna (April 16, 2021). "Marvel Has Big Plans for That Surprise Falcon and the Winter Soldier Cameo". *Vanity Fair*. Retrieved April 17, 2021.

## External links

* Watch on Disney+ (United States) (subscription required)
* Watch on Disney+ (UK & Ireland) (subscription required)