‘Black Widow’: Scarlett Johansson Reacts to Reports That Robert Downey Jr. Will Appear in the Upcoming Marvel Film
Marvel’s Black Widow was originally scheduled to premiere in May 2020, but the film is delayed until Nov. 6, 2020 due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Still, Black Widow will be the movie to kick off Phase Four of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Adding to the anticipation of the movie, Robert Downey Jr. is reported to appear in Black Widow as Tony Stark. In an interview with Parade, Scarlett Johansson reacted to the reports Downey Jr. will appear in the Marvel film.
Robert Downey Jr. is expected to appear in ‘Black Widow’
As fans know, both Tony Stark and Natasha Romanoff died in 2019’s Avengers: Endgame. However, logistically both characters would still be able to appear in the upcoming Black Widow. In the MCU timeline, Black Widow takes place following the events of Captain America: Civil War and before Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame.
At the Saturn Awards in 2019, Avengers: Endgame received 14 nominations and six wins. Of those wins, Downey Jr. took home the award for Best Actor. While reporting the awards show, Deadline reported that Downey Jr. would also appear in Black Widow.
In September 2019, Deadline reported: “Robert Downey Jr.’s swan song performance as Tony Stark, aka Iron Man, in Endgame earned him the best actor in a film award. (Downey will be seen in the role of Stark one more time, however, in the Marvel prequel Black Widow in May 2020.)”
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Scarlett Johansson reacts to the reports
In an April 2020 interview with Parade, Johansson discussed the upcoming movie and her time playing Natasha Romanoff in the MCU.
“When we did Iron Man, I didn’t know if the audience would like my interpretation of the character,” she told the publication.
While it took years for Natasha Romanoff to get her own solo movie, Johansson feels that it happened at the right time for her and for the character.
“It’s a film very much about self-forgiveness and accepting decisions that were made for you. It’s much deeper than anything we could have done earlier,” she said.
When asked if Downey Jr. would appear as Tony Stark in Black Widow, the publication said “she only smiles” in response to the question. Based on this, Johansson did not confirm or deny the reports.
What Robert Downey Jr. has said about returning as Tony Stark
At the premiere for Dolittle, Entertainment Tonight asked Downey Jr. if he would appear in Black Widow.
He responded, “It’d be nice if they’d notified me… they can do anything now. This could be a deepfake interview for all we know!”
Since Tony Stark died in Avengers: Endgame, the Russo Brothers have discussed if the character would ever return to the MCU. For Joe and Anthony Russo, there would have to be a good reason for Tony Stark to be resurrected or appear in future MCU movies.
“We’ve always said this and we’ve believed this. Stakes have to be real. If they are not real, then you know… the audience’s emotional investment in those moments, with those characters, and the narrative is contingent upon them feeling like there’s something to be lost,” Anthony Russo said on the ReelBlend Podcast.
He continued, “… in the context of that, it depends how he was brought back. It depends what the storytelling is. It’s certainly something that has to be earned. It’s certainly something that has to surprise and shock audiences. You can’t simply just bring him back. There would have to be a really compelling, innovative, unpredictable narrative event to find your way there, in order for it to be worth it.“
