When is Black Widow coming out? Release date, leaks, cast, more

New images from behind the scenes of Black Widow have been leaked, giving fans a glimpse of what’s in store. Here’s everything we know about the movie so far.

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Having been a part of The Avengers, fans have eagerly awaited a solo film for Black Widow since 2012. Flash forward eight years and the wait is still ongoing, with the movie facing multiple delays because of the current crisis.

Still, there’s plenty to get excited about, with new content being shared and details being announced in the lead up to the movie’s release.

When will Black Widow be released?

Though originally intended for a May 2020 release, the ongoing health crisis has seen the movie pushed back twice. It is now expected to be released in theaters on May 7, 2021, unless further delays hold it up again.

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In an interview with Marie Curie, Scarlett Johansson spoke about the movie’s delay. “We’re all eager to get the movie out, but more important than anything, everybody wants the experience to feel safe…” she said.

What has been leaked?

As the movie has already seen two delays, a lot of information has already been made available to fans.

It’s merchandise for the upcoming movie that has revealed the most, including extra behind-the-scenes images, as shown in Marvel’s Black Widow: The Official Movie Special Book.

The book is only available in the US and Canada at the moment, so fans have been sharing a look at some of these images on Twitter.

There is also a closer look at Taskmaster, who will be the villain in the movie.

In the book, Johansson explained that Natasha isn’t Taskmaster’s main target: “She doesn’t know if this is someone from her past or a faceless foe.”

Who will be starring in Black Widow?

Johansson will once again be reprising her role as Natasha Maximoff, for what is likely to be the last time. She will be joined by Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova, Rachel Weisz as Melina Vostokoff, and David Harbour as Alexei Shostakov.

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The Handmade’s Tale star,  O-T Fagbenle, will also be in the movie, playing Rick Mason. He will play a former love interest of Romanoff’s, with them both having worked at Shield together.

A cameo from Robert Downey Jr is also expected, but this will probably be taken from extra footage filmed during Captain America: Civil War.

What will happen?

If there’s one question that every Marvel fan has been asking, it’s: “What happened in Budapest?”

Well, it looks like the answer to this is soon to be revealed. Black Widow will be set after the events of Civil War and is expected to explain what exactly happened in Budapest, among other things.

This was also confirmed in the official movie book, whereby Johansson explained more on the joke. “We thought that if we don’t go back to Budapest and find out what really happened there, people will feel unsatisfied,” she said.

“Black Widow is not about what happened in Budapest, but it’s a huge jumping-off point for us to understand the heaviness of Natasha’s burden.”

As shown in the teasers released, there are not only shots of Budapest but also flashbacks to Romanoff’s past, including the Red Room. This insight into the character will also introduce her ‘family’.

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The group is set to reunite to take on the unknown Taskmaster, as Romanoff decides to face up to her darker past.

Florence Pugh has said the storyline is ‘horrifying’ in her eyes: “It’s about women that have been, essentially, abused and trained up to be killing machines.”

In an interview with Empire, the director, Cate Shortland, said Johansson will ‘hand the baton’ to Pugh, as her character, Yelena, takes over the Black Widow mantle in the MCU.

With what is hopefully a final date in sight, anticipation is once again rising among fans as they look forward to Black Widow’s final outing in May 2021.