Chris Evans Thinks It's Time For a Black Widow Movie — Will Marvel Finally Get on Board?

Scarlett Johansson's #BlackWidow has played an integral part in the #MarvelCinematicUniverse since she first appeared in Iron Man 2. Despite not having any superpowers of her own, she's certainly proved her worth to the Avengers in all of her appearances thus far. From her involvement in the Battle of New York in #TheAvengers to helping Cap find Bucky in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, she has been a constant presence and ally to all of the MCU heroes.

But she's never been the hero of her own story yet, and fans of Natasha Romanoff are getting a little tired of waiting.

Many have criticized #Marvel for this, with some critics claiming they're reluctant to release a female-led superhero film, especially when they canceled Agent Carter. Though Captain Marvel, starring Brie Larson, has been announced, it does seem a shame that Marvel hasn't taken advantage of the strong female characters they already have.

The fans want a Black Widow movie, and it seems that her fellow Avengers do as well.

Captain America Has Spoken: Make Black Widow Happen

In an interview with Elle, actor Chris Evans was asked about the possibility of a Black Widow solo film. And it sounds like he's all for it:

"That’s a good question. It would really just clean up, wouldn’t it? Scarlett [Johansson] is so good at everything she does. She’s played such a crucial part in the other films. She always makes her presence so felt — even when there are 50 different superheroes running around onscreen. I wouldn’t be surprised if that happens at some point in the future. I’m sure Scarlett would be open to it."

Chris Evans knows firsthand what Scarlett Johansson can bring to a role. It isn't just her abilities in a fight that come in handy either; we've also seen Natasha's spy skills put to good use, with Scarlett Johansson delivering an intense performance every time. Who can forget her very first scene in The Avengers as her character interrogates Russian arms dealers, even though it may seem like she's had her cover blown?

Which Story Would A Black Widow Solo Movie Tell?

Though the majority of the MCU films happen in chronological order, there's nothing to say that a Black Widow film would have to fit in with the timeline. Natasha is a character with a complex backstory, so perhaps her own film could explore that.

We've already seen the beginnings of the Black Widow Programme in Agent Carter thanks to Dottie Underwood's role, and we've also briefly seen a glimpse of Natasha's own past during Avengers: Age of Ultron. Logically, we'd have to be given more of this in her own film. While interrogating Loki in The Avengers, Natasha offers the Asgardian the intriguing note that she has "red in her ledger" that she'd like to wipe out. Loki manages to catch her off-guard by questioning her on a hospital fire.

There's also the Budapest incident with Hawkeye that they both remember very differently. A film focussing on this event would be an opportunity to flesh out Hawkeye's character as well — there's clearly a lot of history between the two of them.

If the film breaks new ground with the character, then one option would be her teaming up with the Winter Soldier to find out more about their past. The two have both been brainwashed in some way by the Russians so share a connection and presumably, both would want answers.

Kevin Feige Says It Could Happen

Something that certainly works in favor of Black Widow getting her own film is Marvel Studios chief Kevin Feige commenting to Deadline last year that Marvel would definitely be interested in exploring the character further:

“We think she’s an amazing character. We think Scarlett Johansson’s portrayal of her is amazing. She’s a lead Avenger and has amazing stories in her own right to tell that we think would be fun to turn into a standalone franchise.”

Marvel's standalone films are the opportunity to flesh out their characters — to take them away from the rest of the Avengers and allow them to fight on their own. As fun as it is to see all of the Avengers interacting with one another, it's their individual movies that allow the characters to truly grow. That isn't to say that Black Widow isn't already a complex character, but a solo film would give her a chance to finally stand alone.

There's plenty of history to be explored for Natasha and all of the fans want to see her in her own film. After all, the Captain has spoken.