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Tag: Black Widow

  • Actor Scarlett Johansson opens up about her ‘Black Widow’ role

    By ANI

    WASHINGTON: Actor Scarlett Johansson expressed her ‘bittersweet’ emotions as she says goodbye to her role as ‘Black Widow’.

    The actor recently appeared in an interview on the ‘Good Morning America’ show, where she revealed that she will no longer play her Marvel character after the release of the upcoming film ‘Black Widow’, reported People magazine.

    “I’ve had an incredible decade working with my Marvel family. I’m going to miss not seeing them every 18 months or two years, like that kind of milestones I always really look forward to,” Johansson said.

    She added, “But I feel really proud of this film and I think it’s great to go out on a high note. This movie is so different from any other Marvel film that we’ve done so far, so yeah… like I said, it’s bittersweet.”

    The actor, who played Natasha Romanoff in the much-loved Marvel movie, was first introduced as Black Widow in the 2010’s ‘Iron Man 2’ and the last time she reprised her role was in 2019’s ‘Avengers: Endgame’ where her character died.

    Johansson, in her earlier interviews, had also spoken about how her husband- Saturday Night Live comedian- Colin Jost avoids all spoilers about ‘Black Widow’ as “he wants to be surprised”, adding that he didn’t even want to know who was on set.

    “I always tell people that… I’m like, ‘You don’t really want to know. There’s so few surprises these days, just have the patience and sit through the movie, and enjoy the ride and this movie is definitely full of a lot of surprises for sure,” Johannson said in an interview.

    The Marvel actor previously told that she has to make sure about giving ‘spolier alerts’ to Jost before they start practising her lines for the movie.

    Johansson said, “Of course he wants to know, ‘How was your day?’, but as soon as it would bleed into, ‘Can you read the scene with [me]?’ he was like, ‘Am I gonna get any spoilers or like … ?’ He wanted to know ‘spoiler alert’ before we read lines together.”

    The much anticipated Marvel flick was supposed to hit the big screens on April 30 in India, and May 1, 2020, in the US but due to the challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic it got delayed several times.

    ‘Black Widow’ has Johansson reprising her role as Natasha/Black Widow, Florence Pugh is starring as Yelena, David Harbour portrays Alexei/The Red Guardian, and Rachel Weisz will be Melina.

    Johansson has played Black Widow, a major role in seven Marvel movies, tracking her evolution from a morally dubious Russian assassin to a world-saving Avenger.

    In the upcoming film, 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. What’s even more interesting is that viewers will witness the new Marvel villain, Taskmaster.

    The movie, helmed by Cate Shortland and produced by Kevin Feige, will hit the theatres and will be available to be stream on Disney+ Premier on July 9.

  • Scarlett Johansson says Black Widow was ‘sexualised’ in the beginning

    By PTI
    LOS ANGELES: Hollywood star Scarlett Johansson, who is getting a stand-alone movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe with “Black Widow”, is happy that the character has undergone a transformation from its early days of “hyper-sexualization”.

    Johansson, 35, made her debut as Black Widow in the Robert Downey Jr-starrer “Iron Man 2”, in 2010 and 11 years later the superhero is getting a solo outing in July this year.

    Talking about the character’s journey, the Oscar-nominated actor reflected on the changes that have come with time for Black Widow aka Natasha Romanoff, a highly trained former KGB assassin, who becomes an Avenger later.

    “It definitely has changed and I think part of that change has probably, it’s hard because I’m inside it, but probably a lot of that is actually from me too. I’ll be 35 years old and I’m a mom and my life is different. Obviously, 10 years have passed and things have happened and I have a much different, more evolved understanding of myself,” Johansson told Collider in an interview.

    “As a woman, I’m in a different place in my life, you know? And I felt more forgiving of myself, as a woman, and not, sometimes probably not enough. I’m more accepting of myself, I think. All of that is related to that move away from the kind of hyper-sexualization of this character and, I mean, you look back at ‘Iron Man 2’ and while it was really fun and had a lot of great moments in it, the character is so sexualized, you know?”

    The actor said her character is talked about in “Iron Man 2” like “she’s a piece of something, like a possession or a thing or whatever -like a piece of a**, really.”

    Referring to a scene when Black Widow knocks out Tony Stark/Iron Man’s (Downey Jr) right-hand man Happy Hogan (played by director Jon Favreau) in the boxing ring with an impressed tycoon later telling Gwyneth Paltrow’s Pepper Potts, “I want one”, Johansson said maybe that felt like a compliment but not so much now.

    “Yeah and at one point calls her a piece of meat and maybe at that time that actually felt like a compliment. You know what I mean? Because my thinking was different. Maybe I even would have, you know, my own self-worth was probably measured against that type of comment or, like a lot of young women, you come into your own and you understand your own self-worth.”

    “It’s changing now. Now people, young girls, are getting a much more positive message, but it’s been incredible to be a part of that shift and be able to come out the other side and be a part of that old story, but also progress. Evolve. I think it’s pretty cool,” she told the portal.

    In the new film, also starring Florence Pugh, David Harbour and Rachel Weisz, Black Widow confronts the darker parts of her ledger when a dangerous conspiracy with ties to her past arises, forcing her to deal with her history as a spy and the broken relationships left behind.

    Directed by Cate Shortland and produced by Kevin Feige, “Black Widow”, “the first film in Phase Four of the Marvel Cinematic Universe” launches in Indian theatres on July 9, 2021, in English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and Kannada.

  • ‘Black Widow’, ‘Cruella’ will hit theatres, stream on Disney Plus on same day

    By PTI
    LOS ANGELES: Disney has announced that Scarlett Johansson-starrer “Black Widow” and “Cruella”, featuring Oscar winner Emma Stone, will be having simultaneous release in the theatres and on streaming service Disney Plus.

    The studio’s decision puts an end to a year-long uncertainty over the company’s two marquee projects that were originally set to debut in theatres but were postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

    Johansson’s “Black Widow”, the long-awaited solo film about Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) superhero Natasha Romanoff, has been pushed back by two months and will now debut on July 9 instead of May 7.

    The Cate Shortland-directed film has been delayed three times since the pandemic started last year.

    It was originally scheduled to release in theatres on May 20, 2020.

    “Cruella”, the prequel to “101 Dalmatians” that serves as an origin story for iconic villain, is arriving as scheduled on May 28.

    Meanwhile, Pixar film “Luca” will skip theatres entirely and debut exclusively on Disney Plus on June 18.

    “Today’s announcement reflects our focus on providing consumer choice and serving the evolving preferences of audiences.

    “By leveraging a flexible distribution strategy in a dynamic marketplace that is beginning to recover from the global pandemic, we will continue to employ the best options to deliver The Walt Disney Company’s unparalleled storytelling to fans and families around the world,” Kareem Daniel, Chairman, Disney Media & Entertainment Distribution, said in a statement.

    The studio’s move towards streaming service comes as a blow to the exhibition sector in the US with theatres slowly and steadily starting to reopen across the country, including major markets like Los Angeles and New York City.

    But Disney doesn’t plan to entirely ditch theatres as it announced that its other titles, that mostly belongs to 20th Century Studios, will solely debut on the big screen.

    The films include Ryan Reynolds-starrer “Free Guy” (August 13), “The King’s Man” (December 22), “Deep Water”, starring Ben Affleck and Ana de Armas (January 14, 2022) and Kenneth Branagh’s star-studded movie “Death on the Nile” (February 11, 2022).

    From Marvel Studios, “Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” has been delayed by two months to September 3.

    The film, which boasts of a star-studded cast of Simu Liu, Awkwafina, Tony Leung, Florian Munteanu and Michelle Yeoh, was previously set for release on July 9, 2021, the date now occupied by “Black Widow”.

  • Disney still committed to release ‘Black Widow’ in theatres

    By PTI
    LOS ANGELES: Disney CEO Bob Chapek has insisted that Scarlett Johansson-front superhero movie “Black Widow” is still on course to make its debut in theatres worldwide.

    During an investor call on Thursday, Chapek said the company has no plans to send the Marvel Studios project to its streamer Disney Plus, as per Deadline.

    “We are still intending for it to be a theatrical release. We are going to be watching very carefully to see whether that strategy needs to be revisited,” he said.

    “Black Widow”, featuring Johansson in her last appearance as Natasha Romanoff / Black Widow, was originally scheduled for release in May 2020 but was delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

    The film is currently slated to release on May 7 this year.

    During the pandemic, Disney has made some bold moves to compensate for the closure of movie theatres.

    It took the decision of sending its big-budget live action movie “Mulan” to Disney Plus.

    The studio also sent animated feature “Soul” to the streamer, while another movie “Raya and the Last Dragon” will be debuting simultaneously in theatres and on Disney Plus for an extra USD 30.

    “Some films we will take theatrically. Some films we will take to Disney Premiere Access. And in some cases, we will take it directly to service (Disney Plus). It’s really about flexibility. We’re going to steer our decision making over time given (the needs) of our subscriber base,” Chapek said.

  • No Time To Die to Black Widow: Hollywood movies releasing in 2021

    By IANS
    NEW DELHI: When it comes to Hollywood, 2021 is going to be a year of superheroes, reboots and follow-ups on the big screen — and, of course, James Bond.

    The Hollywood calendar of the year comes packed with big blockbusters including Scarlett Johansson’s solo superhero outing “Black Widow”, the/-+ Dwayne Johnson adventure “Jungle Cruise”, Marvel’s latest superhero genre addition “Eternals”, Tom Cruise’s new “Top Gun” sequel and Daniel Craig’s final outing as James Bond, “No Time To Die”. IANS lists the Hollywood releases lined up in 2021 that sure gets us excited:

    NO TIME TO DIE

    Certainly the most talked-about Hollywood film not to release in 2020, Daniel Craig’s final outing as James Bond is now scheduled to release on April 2 this year. The 25th instalment of the franchise also features Rami Malek as the new Bond villain Safin, and brings back Lea Seydoux as Dr. Madeleine Swann, Ben Whishaw as Q, Ralph Fiennes as M, Naomie Harris as Moneypenny and Jeffrey Wright as CIA agent Felix Leiter. It is directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga.

    BLACK WIDOW

    Marvel Studios will finally release their solo “Black Widow” film, which aims to give a new twist to women power in the superhero universe. The film will bring back Scarlett Johansson as of Natasha Romanoff and her superhero alter ego Black Widow, as she traces her past to solve the puzzle of her life. The film was slated to release in 2020, but got pushed due to the Covid crisis. Now, it is slated to release on May 7.

    FAST & FURIOUS 9

    Hollywood stars Vin Diesel and John Cena will give bromance a new spin in the upcoming “Fast & Furious” film, which will be fuelled by the emotion of vengeance. The saga sees the return of Justin Lin as director, who helmed the third, fourth, fifth and sixth chapters of the series. The film also stars Tyrese Gibson, Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, Jordana Brewster, Nathalie Emmanuel, Helen Mirren and Charlize Theron. It is expected to release in the first quarter of the year.

    UNTITLED SPIDER-MAN: FAR FROM HOME SEQUEL

    The Tom Holland-led film is expected to be a treat for franchise fans. Spider-Man’s new adventure will bring back Benedict Cumberbatch as the sorcerer superhero Doctor Strange and Alfred Molina as the evil Doctor Octopus. Jamie Foxx will reportedly appear as Electro. The upcoming adventure is expected to feature multiple generations of “Spider-Man” actors, with actors from past films in the series reprising their characters. The third “Spider-Man” film is scheduled for a theatrical release on December 17, 2021.

    TOP GUN: MAVERICK

    At 58, Hollywood superstar Tom Cruise will be back in his popular avatar as Pete “Maverick” Mitchell in “Top Gun: Maverick”, the much-anticipated sequel of the 1986 hit “Top Gun”. The Joseph Kosinski-directed film co-stars Jon Hamm, Jennifer Connelly, Glen Powell, Miles Teller and Jay Ellis. The trailer shows Maverick going back to Naval Fighter Weapons School to teach to the younger generations. It is slated to release on July 2.

    JUNGLE CRUISE

    Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt go on an action packed ride in the film based on the Disneyland ride of the same name. The Jaume Collet-Serra-directed film is set in the early 20th century, and follows the journey of a riverboat captain (Johnson) and scientist (Blunt) as they go into the jungles to find the Tree of Life. It is slated to release on July 30.

    MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE 7

    Tom Cruise returns as Ethan Hunt in “Mission: Impossible 7”, which is helmed by filmmaker Christopher McQuarrie. It is slated to open on November 19, 2021. The spy action thriller also stars Rebecca Ferguson, Ving Rhames, Vanessa Kirby, Simon Pegg, and Hayley Atwell.

    DUNE

    Denis Villeneuve’s much-hyped sci-fi movie is slated to release on October 1. An official adaptation of Frank Herbert’s classic of the same name, the film will explore themes like politics, religion, and war amid the backdrop of the planet Arrakis, known as Dune. It features Timothee Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac, Josh Brolin, Stellan Skarsgard, Dave Bautista, Charlotte Rampling, Jason Momoa and Javier Bardem.

    A QUIET PLACE PART II

    The John Krasinski and Emily Blunt-starrer was originally set to hit the big screen last March, but was among numerous Hollywood films delayed owing to Covid. It is now scheduled on April 23 this year. The horror film is a sequel of the 2018 winner “A Quiet Place”, which imagined a post-apocalyptic world where humans fall prey to fast-moving creatures who track their victims by sound.

    VENOM: LET THERE BE CARNAGE

    Tom Hardy’s much-anticipated “Venom” sequel is also slated to open this year. Andy Serkis has directed the second part of the action fantasy franchise, which sees Hardy take on an alien symbiote again for another adventure. It is expected to release in June.

    THE SUICIDE SQUAD

    James Gunn’s “The Suicide Squad” is a reboot of the 2016 film “Suicide Squad”, helmed by David Ayer. Margot Robbie, Joel Kinnaman and Viola Davis will reprise the roles they played in the first film. It stars Pete Davidson as Blackguard, John Cena as Peacemaker, Idris Elba as Bloodsport, Alice Braga as Sul Soria among others. It is expected to release in August.

    THE KING’S MAN

    Slated to open on March 12, the Matthew Vaughn-directorial is a prequel in the “Kingsman” film series. It is loosely based on the comic book series “Kingsman”, created by Dave Gibbons and Mark Millar. The film takes place decades before the first two instalments in the franchise so far — “Kingsman: The Secret Service” (2014) and “Kingsman: The Golden Circle” (2017). It features Ralph Fiennes, Gemma Arterton, Rhys Ifans, Matthew Goode, Daniel Bruhl and Djimon Hounsou.

    MORBIUS

    The “Spider-Man” spinoff is slated to release on March 19. It stars Jared Leto in the titular role as Michael Morbius, a scientist who turns into a vampire.

    THE MATRIX 4

    Priyanka Chopra will be joining Keanu Reeves in the next part of “The Matrix”, which is expected to release later this year. The film is produced, co-written and directed by Lana Wachowski, who co-directed and co-wrote three of the previous films with her sister Lilly.

    TOM AND JERRY

    The live-action/ CG-animated film features the iconic cartoon characters as they go on another fun-filled adventure. The film stars Chloe Grace Moretz and Michael Pena. It is expected to open in the first quarter of the year.

    MONSTER HUNTER

    Directed by Paul WS Anderson, the film is based on the video game series of the same name. The film stars Milla Jovovich, Tony Jaa, Tip “T. I.” Harris, Meagan Good, Diego Boneta, Josh Helman, Jin Au-Yeung and Ron Perlman. It is expected to release in the first quarter of the year.

    FREE GUY

    The Ryan Reynolds-led action comedy is about a non-player character in a video game. The Shawn Levy-directed film also stars Jodie Comer, Joe Keery, Lil Rel Howery, Utkarsh Ambudkar and Taika Waititi. It is slated to release on May 21.

    SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS

    Marvel’s first Asian origin superhero will be introduced this year, with the Destin Daniel Cretton directorial. In the film, Simu Liu stars as the title character with Awkwafina in an unspecified role and Tony Leung playing the iconic comicbook villain known as The Mandarin. It is slated to release on July 9.

    ETERNALS

    Directed by Chloe Zhao, the film stars Angelina Jolie, Richard Madden, Kit Harington, Gemma Chan, Salma Hayek and Kumail Nanjiani. It is about the super-powered beings, The Celestials, and their villainous adversaries, The Deviants, in a war set millions of years ago. Nanjiani had revealed that his character will have the secret identity of a Bollywood star. It is expected to open on November 5, 2021.

    WEST SIDE STORY

    Filmmaker Steven Spielberg has reimagined the musical “West Side Story” for the big screen. The classic New York tale tells the story of two lovers — Maria, a Puerto Rican, whose brother Bernardo is the leader of the “Sharks” street gang, and Tony, a former leader of the “Jets”, who battled the Sharks. The film is at the same time a romance and a crime story. It is a story of street gangs, racism, and violence in the shadows of rising skyscrapers. It will open on December 10.

    GHOSTBUSTERS: AFTERLIFE

    Jason Reitman’s “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” is a direct sequel set 30 years after “Ghostbusters II”. It follows two children (Mckenna Grace and Finn Wolfhard) and their mother (Carrie Coon) who discover their link to the original gang. It also stars Bill Murray, Sigourney Weaver and Paul Rudd. It is slated to release on June 11.

    DEATH ON THE NILE

    Director Kenneth Branagh returns with a new Agatha Christie adaptation, after the commercially successful and star-studded 2017 release, “Murder On The Orient Express”. It is about a murder of passion aboard a cruise ship on the Nile. The film casts Gal Gadot, Branagh, Letitia Wright, Armie Hammer, Annette Bening, Sophie Okonedo, Tom Bateman, Emma Mackey, Dawn French, Rose Leslie, Jennifer Saunders, and Russell Brand, along with Indian actor Ali Fazal. It is slated to release on September 17.