Moviefone Editorial

Tag: black widow

Best Scarlett Johansson Movies of All Time!

Scarlett Johansson arrives on the red carpet of the 97th Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, March 2, 2025. Credit/Provider: Etienne Laurent / The Academy. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.

Scarlett Johansson is one of the most popular and talented actresses in the world!

She was born in New York City, and made her first film appearance in 1994’s ‘North‘. Since then she has starred in several Woody Allen movies like ‘Match Point‘ and ‘Vicky Cristina Barcelona‘, as well as appearing in several Wes Anderson films including ‘Asteroid City‘ and ‘The Phoenician Scheme‘, and of course, playing Black Widow in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. She has also been nominated for 2 Academy Awards and 5 Golden Globes.

Her latest movie, ‘Jurassic World Rebirth‘, which is a continuation of the popular dinosaur franchise and opens in theaters on July 2nd. In honor or her new film, Moviefone is counting down the 20 best movies of Scarlett Johansson’s impressive career, including her latest.

Let’s begin!

20. ‘Iron Man 2‘ (2010)

Scarlett Johansson in ‘Iron Man 2’. Photo: Marvel Studios.

With the world now aware of his dual life as the armored superhero Iron Man, billionaire inventor Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) faces pressure from the government, the press and the public to share his technology with the military. Unwilling to let go of his invention, Stark, with Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) and James ‘Rhodey’ Rhodes (Don Cheadle) at his side, must forge new alliances – and confront powerful enemies.
4cOBZDQjuTEdYwsIsMkmE

19. ‘The Horse Whisperer‘ (1998)

The mother (Kristin Scott Thomas) of a severely traumatized daughter (Johansson) enlists the aid of a unique horse trainer (Robert Redford) to help the girl’s equally injured horse.
2392

18. ‘The Avengers‘ (2012)

When an unexpected enemy emerges and threatens global safety and security, Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), director of the international peacekeeping agency known as S.H.I.E.L.D., finds himself in need of a team to pull the world back from the brink of disaster. Spanning the globe, a daring recruitment effort begins!
33907

17. ‘Ghost World‘ (2001)

Two quirky, cynical teenaged girls (Thora Birch and Johansson) try to figure out what to do with their lives after high school graduation. After they play a prank on an eccentric, middle aged record collector (Steve Buscemi), one of them befriends him, which causes a rift in the girls’ friendship.
9822

16. ‘Avengers: Infinity War‘ (2018)

As the Avengers and their allies have continued to protect the world from threats too large for any one hero to handle, a new danger has emerged from the cosmic shadows: Thanos (Josh Brolin). A despot of intergalactic infamy, his goal is to collect all six Infinity Stones, artifacts of unimaginable power, and use them to inflict his twisted will on all of reality. Everything the Avengers have fought for has led up to this moment – the fate of Earth and existence itself has never been more uncertain.
20083432

15. ‘Jurassic World Rebirth‘ (2025)

Scarlett Johansson is Zora Bennett in ‘Jurassic World Rebirth’, directed by Gareth Edwards. Photo: Universal Pictures.

Five years after the events of ‘Jurassic World Dominion‘, covert operations expert Zora Bennett (Johansson) is contracted to lead a skilled team on a top-secret mission to secure genetic material from the world’s three most massive dinosaurs. When Zora’s operation intersects with a civilian family whose boating expedition was capsized, they all find themselves stranded on an island where they come face-to-face with a sinister, shocking discovery that’s been hidden from the world for decades.
iDV9ECfrlJVXq7MAkRW8k1 52IMk3HW

14. ‘Captain America: Civil War‘ (2016)

Following the events of ‘Age of Ultron‘, the collective governments of the world pass an act designed to regulate all superhuman activity. This polarizes opinion amongst the Avengers, causing two factions to side with Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) or Captain America (Chris Evans), which causes an epic battle between former allies.
65108

13. ‘Match Point‘ (2005)

Chris (Jonathan Rhys Meyers), a former tennis player, looks for work as an instructor. He meets Tom Hewett (Matthew Goode), a wealthy young man whose sister Chloe (Emily Mortimer) falls in love with Chris. But Chris has his eye on Tom’s fiancee Nola (Johansson).
23105

12. ‘The Prestige‘ (2006)

A mysterious story of two magicians (Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale) whose intense rivalry leads them on a life-long battle for supremacy — full of obsession, deceit and jealousy with dangerous and deadly consequences.
23879

11. ‘The Phoenician Scheme‘ (2025)

The story of a family and a family business.
840FXz1A16r7w6COVuUvH

10. ‘Black Widow‘ (2021)

Scarlett Johansson in Marvel Studios’ ‘Black Widow.’ Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. ©Marvel Studios 2021. All Rights Reserved.

Natasha Romanoff (Johansson) aka Black Widow confronts the darker parts of her ledger when a dangerous conspiracy with ties to her past arises. Pursued by a force that will stop at nothing to bring her down, Natasha must deal with her history as a spy and the broken relationships left in her wake long before she became an Avenger.
tT8ZzfW3h27psN6LzQLDl4

9. ‘Vicky Cristina Barcelona‘ (2008)

Two girlfriends (Rebecca Hall and Johansson) on a summer holiday in Spain become enamored with the same painter (Javier Bardem), unaware that his ex-wife (Penélope Cruz), with whom he has a tempestuous relationship, is about to re-enter the picture.
32858

8. ‘Her‘ (2014)

In the not so distant future, Theodore (Joaquin Phoenix), a lonely writer, purchases a newly developed operating system designed to meet the user’s every need. To Theodore’s surprise, a romantic relationship develops between him and his operating system (Johansson). This unconventional love story blends science fiction and romance in a sweet tale that explores the nature of love and the ways that technology isolates and connects us all.
62095

7. ‘Hail, Caesar!‘ (2016)

When a Hollywood star (George Clooney) mysteriously disappears in the middle of filming, the studio sends their fixer (Josh Brolin) to get him back.
20071095

6. ‘Captain America: The Winter Soldier‘ (2014)

After the cataclysmic events in New York with ‘The Avengers’, Steve Rogers (Chris Evans), aka Captain America is living quietly in Washington, D.C. and trying to adjust to the modern world. But when a S.H.I.E.L.D. colleague comes under attack, Steve becomes embroiled in a web of intrigue that threatens to put the world at risk. Joining forces with the Black Widow (Johansson), Captain America struggles to expose the ever-widening conspiracy while fighting off professional assassins sent to silence him at every turn. When the full scope of the villainous plot is revealed, Captain America and the Black Widow enlist the help of a new ally, the Falcon (Anthony Mackie). However, they soon find themselves up against an unexpected and formidable enemy—the Winter Soldier.
54664

5. ‘Lucy‘ (2014)

Scarlett Johansson in ‘Lucy’. Photo: Universal Pictures.

A woman (Johansson), accidentally caught in a dark deal, turns the tables on her captors and transforms into a merciless warrior evolved beyond human logic.
10127142

4. ‘Jojo Rabbit‘ (2019)

A World War II satire that follows a lonely German boy (Roman Griffin Davis) whose world view is turned upside down when he discovers his single mother (Johansson) is hiding a young Jewish girl (Thomasin McKenzie) in their attic. Aided only by his idiotic imaginary friend, Adolf Hitler, Jojo must confront his blind nationalism.
hnry0MTmLaWTAlHL2NJZb

3. ‘Marriage Story‘ (2019)

A stage director (Adam Driver) and an actress (Johansson) struggle through a grueling, coast-to-coast divorce that pushes them to their personal extremes.
0rytDjVry1kydeixMTPEC6

2. ‘Avengers: Endgame‘ (2019)

After the devastating events of ‘Avengers: Infinity War’, the universe is in ruins due to the efforts of the Mad Titan, Thanos (Josh Brolin). With the help of remaining allies, the Avengers must assemble once more in order to undo Thanos’ actions and restore order to the universe once and for all, no matter what consequences may be in store.
P4hIwBTPRnwELWrG1VOML2

1. ‘Lost in Translation‘ (2003)

Scarlett Johansson in ‘Lost in Translation’. Photo: Focus Features.

Two lost souls visiting Tokyo — the young, neglected wife (Johansson) of a photographer (Giovanni Ribisi) and a washed-up movie star (Bill Murray) shooting a TV commercial — find an odd solace and pensive freedom to be real in each other’s company, away from their lives in America.
16075

July 11, 2025
Rachel Weisz to Star in ‘Vladimir’
Rachel Weisz in ‘The Mummy.’ Photo: Universal Pictures.

Preview:
- Rachel Weisz will star in new limited series ‘Vladimir.’
- The adaptation of Julia May Jonas’s 2022 novel is based at Netflix.
- Kate Robin is running the show.
Limited series based on novels have become big business in the streaming era, with the likes of HBO, Hulu and particularly Netflix getting in on the action.

The latest to be announced by the latter is an adaptation of Julia May Jonas’s 2022 novel ‘Vladimir,’ which has now landed Rachel Weisz to star and executive produce.

And Jonas will also be involved –– she’ll serve as creator and will have a writing gig on the eventual series, alongside Kate Robin, who will run the show. Robin is a veteran of shows such as ‘Dead to Me’ on Netflix as well as Showtime’s ‘The Affair’ and Prime Video’s ‘One Mississippi.’

We’re promised a blend of dark comedy and sexy fun times –– albeit with some serious consequences.

Related Article: Rachel Weisz plays a Pair of Twisted Twin Scientists in the Trailer for ‘Dead Ringers’

What’s the story of ‘Vladimir’

Rachel Weisz in ‘The Mummy.’ Photo: Universal Pictures.

If you were looking for details on the plot of this one, it’s official logline time!

“As a beloved English professor faces a slew of accusations against her professor husband by former students — she becomes obsessed with her captivating new colleague. Full of sexy secrets, dark humor and complex characters, ‘Vladimir’ is about what happens when a woman goes hell-bent to turn her fantasies into reality.”

Behind the scenes and beyond Jonas and Robin, the series boasts quite the team, with ‘Catastrophe’ and ‘Bad Sisters’ creator Sharon Horgan as an executive producer alongside Stacy Greenberg and Kira Carstensen of her Merman production company. Jason Winer and Jon Radler are also producers on behalf of Small Dog Picture Company, while 20th Television will make the series itself.

‘Vladimir’: The Studio and Producers Talk

Netflix logo. Photo: Netflix.

Here’s what Tracey Pakosta, vice president of comedy series at Netflix had to say about the new series:

“With Kate Robin’s expertise in crafting layered, darkly comedic female stories, a script that deftly examines the complexity of attraction and moral ambiguities, and the incomparable Rachel Weisz leading the cast, this project is a powerhouse collaboration of talented women. We can’t wait for our fans to be as obsessed with ‘Vladimir’ as we are.”

And this is what Horgan commented:

“I fell in love with Julia’s writing from the very first paragraph. I feel very lucky and incredibly excited for Merman to bring ‘Vladimir’ to life alongside Small Dog. Getting to partner with Netflix and have Rachel attached is a thrill and testament to the brilliance of the scripts.”

Where else can we see Rachel Weisz?

Rachel Weisz in ‘Dead Ringers.’ Credit: Niko Tavernise/Prime Video. Copyright: Amazon Studios.

Weisz, of course, is no stranger to screens big and small, having appeared in movies such as 1999’s ‘The Mummy’ (and its sequel, ‘The Mummy Returns’) ‘The Favourite,’ ‘The Lovely Bones,’ ‘The Brothers Bloom,’ ‘About a Boy’ and more recently, Marvel’s ‘Black Widow,’ where she played Melina.
tT8ZzfW3h27psN6LzQLDl4
She reprised the Marvel role (at least her voice) for animated series ‘What If…?’ and was one of the driving forces behind 2023 Prime Video thriller series ‘Dead Ringers,’ itself an adaptation of the book that inspired the eponymous 1988 David Cronenberg movie.

Next up for Weisz is Thomas Alfredson’s drama ‘Séance on a Wet Afternoon,’ which is in pre-production.

When will ‘Vladimir’ be on screens?

Given that the cameras have yet to roll on the new limited series, we don’t see this hitting Netflix’s servers much before 2026.

Rachel Weisz in ‘Dead Ringers.’ Credit: Niko Tavernise/Prime Video. Copyright: Amazon Studios.

List of Rachel Weisz Movies and TV Shows:
- ‘The Mummy‘ (1999)
- ‘The Mummy Returns‘ (2001)
- ‘About a Boy‘ (2002)
- ‘Confidence‘ (2003)
- ‘Runaway Jury‘ (2003)
- ‘Constantine‘ (2005)
- ‘The Constant Gardener‘ (2005)
- ‘The Fountain‘ (2006)
- ‘The Brothers Bloom‘ (2008)
- ‘The Lovely Bones‘ (2010)
- ‘Page Eight‘ (2011)
- ‘The Bourne Legacy‘ (2012)
- ‘Oz the Great and Powerful‘ (2013)
- ‘The Lobster‘ (2016)
- ‘The Favourite‘ (2018)
- ‘Black Widow‘ (2021)
- ‘What If…?‘ (2021 – 2024)
- ‘Dead Ringers‘ (2023)
Buy Rachel Weisz Movies on Amazon
Wa3O0QGf
March 6, 2025
Lewis Pullman in Talks to Join Marvel’s ‘Thunderbolts’
Lewis Pullman plays “BOB” in ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ from Paramount Pictures, Skydance and Jerry Bruckheimer Films.

Preview:
- Lewis Pullman is reportedly joining ‘Thunderbolts’.
- The ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ actor is considering another talked-about role.
- Jake Schreier is on board to direct the Marvel movie.
Once upon a time, Steven Yeun was all set to join the already sprawling cast of Marvel’s team-up movie ‘Thunderbolts’. Though Marvel had not confirmed his casting, he’d talked about the role.

And then, because the movie’s shoot had to shift because of the actors’ strike last year, his calendar filled up and he was no longer available.

Now, while his casting has yet to be confirmed, word is spreading via online scooper Daniel Richtman that Lewis Pullman –– AKA Bob in ‘Top Gun: Maverick‘ –– has an offer to take the role of Sentry in place of Yeun.

Related Article: Steven Yeun Won’t Now be Part of the Cast for Marvel’s ‘Thunderbolts’

Just who are the Thunderbolts?

Marvel Studios’ ‘Thunderbolts.’

It isn’t an exact match, but the simple way of explaining the Thunderbolts is that they’re Marvel’s version of The Suicide Squad: a group of villains –– or at least anti-heroes –– brought together by third-party schemers in a possibly ill-advised attempt to turn them into a force for good.

In Marvel’s case, they were originally assembled by Baron Zemo and the Masters Of Evil and have sometimes been linked to Hulk regular General Thaddeus ‘Thunderbolt’ Ross (hence the name). They made their debut in the pages of ‘The Incredible Hulk’ in 1996, introduced by writer and artist team Peter David and Mike Deodato. They continued to their own series the same year, created by Kurt Busiek and Mark Bagley, and have been brought back with a bunch of alternative line-ups in comics ever since.

Who is in the Thunderbolts movie so far?

Sebastian Stan from ‘Thunderbolts’ at D23 Expo 2022.

We know (most of) the characters who will be showing up, since they were announced back in 2022 at Disney’s D23 event: Bucky Barnes (formerly The Winter Soldier), played by Sebastian Stan, is a key figure alongside Florence Pugh’s Yelena Belova, Olga Kurylenko’s Antonia Dreykov/Taskmaster and David Harbour’s Alexei Shostakov/Red Guardian, those three having been introduced in ‘Black Widow’.

Then there’s John Walker, AKA US Agent, played by Wyatt Russell and first seen in ‘The Falcon and the Winter Soldier’ and Hannah John-Kamen’s Ava Starr, the phasing character known as Ghost, who debuted in ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp’.
ySD9fRBhzaiO2TcznWDp2
As for those overseeing the team, we have Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, AKA Val, played by Julia Louis-Dreyfus, who was also introduced in the ‘Falcon’ series and has since cropped up in the likes of ‘Black Widow’ and ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’. We also have Thaddeus Ross –– last seen in ‘Black Widow’ and played since ‘The Incredible Hulk’ by William Hurt. But because of the actor’s death in 2022, Marvel has had to recast the role, tapping genre icon Harrison Ford to take over.

Ross is reportedly the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s current President of the US (at least in ‘Captain America: New World Order’) so that’ll likely factor in. And ‘The Bear’s Ayo Edebiri is aboard in an unknown role.

Who is making ‘Thunderbolts’?

Wyatt Russell from ‘Thunderbolts’ at D23 Expo 2022.

Jake Schreier (‘Beef’) is directing the film based on a script by Eric Pearson and Lee Sung Jin.

When will ‘Thunderbolts’ be in theaters?

Julia Louis-Dreyfus from ‘Thunderbolts’ at D23 Expo 2022.

‘Thunderbolts’ is currently scheduled for release on July 25th, 2025. But the delays in shooting might mean it shifts from that date.

David Harbour from ‘Thunderbolts’ at D23 Expo 2022.

Other Movies Similar to ‘Thunderbolts:’
- ‘The Incredible Hulk‘ (2008)
- ‘The Avengers‘ (2012)
- ‘Guardians of the Galaxy‘ (2014)
- ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron‘ (2015)
- ‘Suicide Squad‘ (2016)
- ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2‘ (2017)
- ‘Avengers: Infinity War‘ (2018)
- ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp‘ (2018)
- ‘Avengers: Endgame‘ (2019)
- ‘The Suicide Squad‘ (2021)
- ‘Black Widow‘ (2021)
- ‘The Bad Guys‘ (2022)
- ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever‘ (2022)
Buy Marvel Movies On Amazon
cI48UWAN
January 29, 2024
Steven Yeun No Longer Part of Marvel’s ‘Thunderbolts’
Steven Yeun as Danny in ‘Beef.’ Photo: Andrew Cooper/Netflix © 2023.

Preview:
- Steven Yeun has dropped out of Marvel’s ‘Thunderbolts’.
- Schedule changes mean he’s no longer in the cast.
- Jake Schreier is on board to direct the team-up title.
Bad news for fans of Steven Yeun, and for anyone who was excited to see him join the Marvel Cinematic Universe in ‘Thunderbolts.’

Yeun, though never officially confirmed by Marvel, had spoken about joining the film, and, at least according to his old ‘The Walking Dead’ and ‘Invincible’ boss Robert Kirkman (who accidentally spilled the beans on a YouTube Show) had been due to play the character of Sentry.

But now, because of schedule shifts following the strikes this summer, he’s no longer able to appear. The new was broken by twitter account DCULeaks and confirmed by The Hollywood Reporter.
ySD9fRBhzaiO2TcznWDp2
Just who are the Thunderbolts?

Marvel Studios’ ‘Thunderbolts.’

It isn’t an exact match, but the simple way of explaining the Thunderbolts is that they’re Marvel’s version of ‘The Suicide Squad‘: a group of villains –– or at least anti-heroes –– brought together by third-party schemers in a possibly ill-advised attempt to turn them into a force for good.

In Marvel’s case, they were originally assembled by Baron Zemo and the Masters Of Evil and have sometimes been linked to Hulk regular General Thaddeus ‘Thunderbolt’ Ross (hence the name). They made their debut in the pages of ‘The Incredible Hulk’ in 1996, introduced by writer and artist team Peter David and Mike Deodato. They continued to their own series the same year, created by Kurt Busiek and Mark Bagley, and have been brought back with a bunch of alternative line-ups in comics ever since.

Related Article: Marvel’s ‘Thunderbolts’ Recruits ‘Nope’s Steven Yeun for Mystery Role

Who is in the Thunderbolts movie so far?

David Harbour from ‘Thunderbolts’ at D23 Expo 2022.

We know (most of) the characters who will be showing up, since they were announced back in 2022 at Disney’s D23 event: Bucky Barnes (formerly The Winter Soldier), played by Sebastian Stan, is a key figure alongside Florence Pugh’s Yelena Belova, Olga Kurylenko’s Antonia Dreykov/Taskmaster and David Harbour’s Alexei Shostakov/Red Guardian, those three having been introduced in ‘Black Widow’.

Then there’s John Walker, AKA US Agent, played by Wyatt Russell and first seen in ‘The Falcon and the Winter Soldier’ and Hannah John-Kamen’s Ava Starr, the phasing character known as Ghost, who debuted in ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp’.

As for those overseeing the team, we have Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, AKA Val, played by Julia Louis-Dreyfus, who was also introduced in the ‘Falcon’ series and has since cropped up in the likes of ‘Black Widow’ and ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’. We also have Thaddeus Ross –– last seen in ‘Black Widow’ and played since ‘The Incredible Hulk’ by William Hurt. But because of the actor’s death in 2022, Marvel has had to recast the role, tapping genre icon Harrison Ford to take over.

Ross is reportedly the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s current President of the US (at least in ‘Captain America: New World Order’) so that’ll likely factor in. And ‘The Bear’s Ayo Edebiri is aboard in an unknown role.

Who is making ‘Thunderbolts’?

Jake Schreier (who worked with Yeun on ‘Beef’) is directing the film based on a script by Eric Pearson and Lee Sung Jin.

Production is scheduled to kick off in March, with the movie scheduled for July 25th, 2025.

Steven Yeun as Danny in ‘Beef.’ Photo: Andrew Cooper/Netflix © 2023.

Other Movies Similar to ‘Thunderbolts:’
- ‘The Avengers‘ (2012)
- ‘Guardians of the Galaxy‘ (2014)
- ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron‘ (2015)
- ‘Suicide Squad‘ (2016)
- ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2‘ (2017)
- ‘Avengers: Infinity War‘ (2018)
- ‘Avengers: Endgame‘ (2019)
- ‘The Suicide Squad‘ (2021)
- ‘The Bad Guys‘ (2022)
Buy Marvel Movies On Amazon
January 4, 2024
‘The Bear’s Ayo Edebiri Joins ‘Thunderbolts’

Marvel Studios’ ‘Thunderbolts.’

Ayo Edebiri has gained a lot of attention lately for her role as driven chef Sydney Adamu in FX’s ‘The Bear’, for which she has been nominated for several awards and won some trophies.

Which has led to her getting a call from the Marvel team, and now Deadline reports that Edebiri has been recruited for the ‘Thunderbolts’ cast.

Ayo Edebiri from ‘The Bear.’ Photo courtesy of FX.

Originally confirmed as in development by Marvel boss Kevin Feige at the company’s 2022 San Diego Comic-Con panel, the main casting line-up was later announced at Disney’s D23 event last September.

It isn’t an exact match, but the simple way of explaining the Thunderbolts is that they’re Marvel’s version of The Suicide Squad: a group of villains––or at least anti-heroes––brought together by third-party schemers in a possibly ill-advised attempt to turn them into a force for good.

In Marvel’s case, they were originally assembled by Baron Zemo and the Masters Of Evil and have sometimes been linked to Hulk regular General Thaddeus ‘Thunderbolt’ Ross (hence the name). They made their debut in the pages of ‘The Incredible Hulk’ in 1996, introduced by writer and artist team Peter David and Mike Deodato. They continued to their own series the same year, created by Kurt Busiek and Mark Bagley, and have been brought back with a bunch of alternative line-ups in comics ever since.

Sebastian Stan from ‘Thunderbolts’ at D23 Expo 2022.

For the movie we know (most of) the characters who will be showing up: Bucky Barnes (formerly The Winter Soldier), played by Sebastian Stan, is a key figure alongside Florence Pugh’s Yelena Belova, Olga Kurylenko’s Antonia Dreykov/Taskmaster and David Harbour’s Alexei Shostakov/Red Guardian, those three having been introduced in ‘Black Widow’.

Then there’s John Walker, AKA US Agent, played by Wyatt Russell and first seen in ‘The Falcon and the Winter Soldier’ and Hannah John-Kamen’s Ava Starr, the phasing character known as Ghost, who debuted in ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp’.

Wyatt Russell from ‘Thunderbolts’ at D23 Expo 2022.

As for those overseeing the team, we have Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, AKA Val, played by Julia Louis-Dreyfus, who was also introduced in the ‘Falcon’ series and has since cropped up in the likes of ‘Black Widow’ and ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’. We also have Thaddeus Ross––last seen in ‘Black Widow’ and played since ‘The Incredible Hulk’ by William Hurt. But because of the actor’s death last year, Marvel has had to recast the role, tapping genre icon Harrison Ford to take over. It’s unknown what position Ross will have in the new movie––the former General was Secretary of State in ‘Captain America: Civil War’.

Julia Louis-Dreyfus from ‘Thunderbolts’ at D23 Expo 2022.

Given Marvel’s typical shroud of secrecy, nothing is yet known about how Edebiri will fit into the story or what character she’s playing. She could be a character drawn from the comics, but even if that’s the case, her backstory could be changed for the film’s story.

So far, all that is really confirmed about the film beyond the main cast is the presence of ‘Paper Towns’ and ‘Robot and Frank’ director Jake Schreier and ‘Black Widow’ writer Eric Pearson providing the script.

‘Thunderbolts’ will be in theaters on July 26th next year.

David Harbour from ‘Thunderbolts’ at D23 Expo 2022.
eXEQEtjd5Lta9eQzxMGTa1 cI48UWAN

January 27, 2023
William Hurt Dead at 71

William Hurt in ‘Captain America: Civil War.’

It was announced on Sunday that Oscar winning actor William Hurt has passed away at the age of 71, a week before his 72nd birthday, due to prostate cancer that had spread to his bones.

Born in Washington, D.C. in 1950, Hurt attended Tufts University before joining Juilliard School’s drama division, where his classmates were Robin Williams and Christopher Reeve.

Hurt began his career in the early 80’s with roles in hit movies like ‘Body Heat,’ ‘The Big Chill,’ and ‘Gorky Park.’ In the mid-80s he was nominated for Best Actor at the Oscars three years in a row for his work ‘Kiss of the Spider Woman,’ for which he won, as well as ‘Broadcast News’ and ‘Children of a Lesser God.’ He also received a Tony Award nomination in 1985 for his stage work in the play ‘Hurlyburly.’

The actor would go on to appear in such movies as ‘The Accidental Tourist,’ ‘I Love You to Death,’ ‘Lost in Space,’ ‘A.I. Artificial Intelligence,’ ‘The Village,’ ‘Syriana,’ ‘The Good Shepherd,’ Into the Wild,’ ‘Vantage Point,’ and ‘Robin Hood.’ He also received critical acclaim for his performance in the big screen adaption of the graphic novel ‘A History of Violence.’

William Hurt in ‘Broadcast News.’

But Hurt was probably best known to an entire generation as General Thaddeus Ross in the Marvel Cinematic Universe movies. He first played the Bruce Banner’s nemesis in ‘The Incredible Hulk,’ and followed it up with brief appearances in ‘Captain America: Civil War,’ ‘Avengers: Infinity War,’ ‘Avengers: Endgame,’ and ‘Black Widow.’

William Hurt’s final on screen role was as Père La Chaise in the fantasy movie, ‘The King’s Daughter.’ The actor has worked with some of the greatest directors in cinema history including Steven Spielberg, Woody Allen, James L. Brooks, Lawrence Kasdan, Wim Wenders, Anthony Minghella, Nora Ephron, Franco Zeffirelli, David Cronenberg, M. Night Shyamalan, and Ridley Scott.

“It is with great sadness that the Hurt family mourns the passing of William Hurt, beloved father and Oscar winning actor, on March 13, 2022, one week before his 72nd birthday,” the actor’s son, Will, said in a statement. “He died peacefully, among family, of natural causes. The family requests privacy at this time.”

William Hurt was married to actress Mary Beth Hurt from 1971 to 1982, before marrying Heidi Henderson from 1989 to 1991. He is survived by Will, and three other children.
1045564 265 18531 34376 tT8ZzfW3h27psN6LzQLDl4

March 13, 2022
Florence Pugh in Talks for ‘Dune: Part Two’

Florence Pugh in Disney’s ‘Black Widow.’

The first part, last year’s ‘Dune’, is already the owner of a hefty haul of awards and with the likelihood of more trophies in its future. But its creators are more focused on the follow-up, ‘Dune: Part Two’, with casting under way. And if everything falls into place, Florence Pugh may end up snagging one of them.

The actress, who is best known for movies including Marvel superhero outing ‘Black Widow’ and creepy horror ‘Midsommar’ is, according to The Hollywood Reporter, in talks to play Princess Irulan, the daughter of Emperor Shaddam IV.

Irulan in the books is a complicated woman – beyond her royal heritage, she’s also a member of the mysterious, mystical Bene Gesserit (the order of powerful women who essentially dictate bloodlines and wield great political power in the ‘Dune’ universe). At one point in Frank Herbert’s series of novels, Irulan is considered as consort for the ruthless Feyd-Rautha of House Harkonnen but ends up getting closer to Paul Atreides (the character played by Timothée Chalamet in the first movie, who returns here).

‘Dune: Part Two’, which aims to adapt the second half of Herbert’s novel picks up the story after Paul and his mother Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson) flee into the desert following the devastating attack on the Atreides base by Harkonnen and Imperial forces.

Paul is destined to rise as a spiritual and military leader of the native Fremen and lead an attack against the Harkonnen and the scheming Emperor. Along with Irulan, co-writer/director Denis Villeneuve is looking to fill the roles of Feyd-Rautha (so memorably played by Sting in David Lynch’s 1984 adaptation of ‘Dune’) and the Emperor, who was mentioned in the first film but not seen.

Sting in ‘Dune’ (1984)

Yet Pugh’s casting is not a done deal as of now: she’s reportedly waiting to see the script before committing to the role. Which is understandable for a movie of this size but given that Villeneuve and co-writer Jon Spaihts are both back for the new film and are up for an Academy Award for their writing, we’re confident that the result will be solid.

Another consideration is the age-old problem of scheduling since Pugh is an in-demand actor and is under consideration for a new biopic of Madonna. Either way, it looks like she’d have to clear some space in her diary this summer for the ‘Dune’ shoot, assuming she takes the role.

The official cast for ‘Dune: Part Two’ has not yet been confirmed, though we can expect Chalamet and Ferguson to return alongside Zendaya (as Fremen warrior Chani, who is Paul’s future soulmate) Javier Bardem (as Fremen leader Stilgar), Dave Bautista (playing Glossu Rabban, nephew of Stellan Skarsgard’s Baron Harkonnen) and Josh Brolin as Gurney Halleck, assuming he survived the assault on the Atreides base from the first movie.

‘Dune: Part Two’ is scheduled for release in theaters on October 20 next year.
5cWlAVoxjhHUHKaQQVDqV4

March 8, 2022
New Trailer for Marvel’s ‘Black Widow’

Scarlett Johansson returns as Natasha Romanov, AKA ‘Black Widow’

Scarlett Johansson returns as Natasha Romanov, the former KGB assassin-turned-S.H.E.I.L.D.-agent (and eventual Avenger).

‘Black Widow’ will be in theaters on May 1, 2020.
tT8ZzfW3h27psN6LzQLDl4 cI48UWAN
It’s been a long wait for this film. Johansson first appeared as Natasha back in 2010’s Iron Man 2, and that year Marvel chief Kevin Feige spoke plans for a solo outing for Black Widow. But that was almost ten years ago, and a Nat’s been through a lot; appearances six other MCU films (not counting cameos in post-credits scenes), Captain Marvel cut in line to be the first female Marvel character to get her own solo film, and Natasha didn’t survive the events of Avengers: Endgame.

At this point Marvel is being pretty tight-lipped about the story, saying only this:

Scarlett Johansson reprises her role as Natasha/Black Widow in Marvel Studios’ action-packed spy thriller “Black Widow”—the first film in Phase Four of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Florence Pugh stars as Yelena, David Harbour as Alexei aka The Red Guardian and Rachel Weisz as Melina.

But we can glean a few things from both Marvel’s statement and trailer itself:

This is pretty obviously going to be a prequel, and based on the appearance of a CGI de-aged William Hurt as Thaddeus Ross, my guess is that the movie likely takes place during a time when Romanov was a S.H.E.I.L.D. agent.

Florence Pugh is playing Yelena Bolova, a Marvel character that’s taken up the mantle of Black Widow in the past. That means we might see Pugh as a new Black Widow in subsequent films.

David Harbour & Rachel Weisz’ characters seem to join Natasha and Yelena as a family of sorts, and remember that Natasha would remark on how she found a new family in Avengers: Endgame.

Any more speculation would lead us deep in to spoiler territory, so we’ll just wait for more footage and more news before saying anymore.

December 3, 2019
There Will Be Multiple Black Widows in the ‘Black Widow’ Movie

Marvel

Scarlett Johansson‘s Natasha Romanoff won’t be the only assassin called Black Widow in Marvel’s solo “Black Widow” movie.

At Comic-Con, Rachel Weisz told IGN in a video interview that she and costar Florence Pugh of “Midsommar” are also Black Widows.

“There are quite a number,” she gold IGN. “I’m a Black Widow and there’s Scarlett and Florence. There’s quite a bit of other characters you’ll also meet that are Black Widows.”

Weisz said that her character Melina has been through the rigorous Black Widow program five times since childhood and is “a highly accomplished spy and assassin.”

Fans are speculating that she could also be playing Iron Maiden or Taskmaster.
Weisz has previously said that Taskmaster has a significant role in the story, while declining to elaborate.

The story for the film is set in Budapest and takes place between “Captain America: Civil War” and “Avengers: Infinity War.”

That’s when Natasha went into exile after letting Captain America (Chris Evans) and the Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan) escape during the big airport battle.

Once in Budapest, she reunites with Yelena (Pugh) who presumably underwent the same training as she did. We expect to see flashbacks to her training in the Red Room.

Production on the film is expected to last through September. “Black Widow’ is slated for a release date of May 1, 2020.

[Via Geek Tyrant, IGN, Digital Spy]

July 30, 2019
Rachel Weisz in Talks to Join ‘Black Widow’ Movie

Fox Searchlight Pictures

Rachel Weisz is heading for a different kind of costume drama.

The actress, fresh off an Oscar nomination for “The Favourite,” is in early talks to join Marvel’s “Black Widow” standalone movie, starring Scarlett Johansson, according to Variety.

This comes on the heels of earlier news that David Harbour is jumping on board the film.

Details of Weisz’s potential character are still unknown.

The globe-trotting story will center on Natasha Romanoff, the spy who was trained by the KGB before becoming an agent of SHIELD and an Avenger. Also unknown: If this movie will take place before or after the events of the upcoming “Avengers: Endgame.”

Weisz is coming off an acclaimed performance in “The Favourite.” She previously won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for “The Constant Gardener.”

April 3, 2019