Hollywood has made major bucks on its comic book adaptations, but the few efforts they've made to headline a woman hero have been abysmal failures: Halle Berry's "Catwoman" barely scratched the public's consciousness, while Jennifer Garner's Elektra was without spark. The good news, though, is that Marvel may be willing to give a lady superhero another solo shot.
Scarlett Johansson, who stars as Black Widow, first appeared on film in the black leather in "Iron Man 2," and now, alongside up with Chris Evans' Captain America, Samuel L. Jackson's Nick Fury, Mark Ruffalo's The Hulk, Jeremy Renner's Hawkeye and Robert Downey Jr.'s Iron Man, she'll help form The Avengers in the upcoming big screen epic due out next year. If that goes well, it could mean an entire film dedicated to the Soviet-born villain-turned-hero.
Speaking to Playlist, Marvel Film's co-head Kevin Feige said that they've spoken to Johannson about her own starring vehicle.
“There’s no definitive plans, but we have started talking and talking with Scarlett about what a Widow movie could be,” he said.
Feige also said that the studio was contemplating a feature for Renner's Hawkeye; both Black Widow and Hawkeye are part of the S.H.I.E.L.D. crime fighting group, which plays a major part in a number of Marvel films and could justify its own movie, too.
So, will it happen?
"Sometimes the answer is—when looking at a certain run of issues— ‘no way’ and sometimes the answer is ‘maybe, let’s continue to explore it’ and certainly with Hawkeye and Black Widow those are two that we’re exploring," Feige said.
Perhaps, though, what he really should say is that it all depends on the commercial success of Marvel's next films." Both "Captain America" and "Thor" hit this summer -- "Thor" reaches theaters on Friday -- and help set up "Avengers." Thus far, "Thor" has received unbelievable reviews -- 93% on Rotten Tomatoes -- boding well for the future of Marvel films.
For more, click over to Indiewire.