If the lengthy release delays have reduced your interest in the Black Widow movie, then we've got just the right bit of news to spike your curiosity. The film's director Cate Shortland just acknowledged that audiences who have seen the film are making comparisons that should raise expectations pretty high.
In an interview with Fandango, Shortland was asked if Black Widow draws inspiration from other movies outside the MCU. And that's when she revealed the thing that made our eyes widen, responding "First, we looked at things like No Country for Old Men. And then we looked at things like Thelma and Louise. And the Marvel film — people that have seen it have said it reminds them of it — [is] Captain America: The Winter Soldier."
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Yes, audiences are drawing connections to Captain America: The Winter Soldier, one of the top 5 (and it ain't number 5) MCU movies of all time. And that's not exactly a huge surprise — the trailers have hinted at a more grounded Marvel movie, and one that's filled with car chases and a story about close bonds. That will sound similar to anyone who remembers Nick Fury on the run from S.H.I.E.L.D. and Cap's feelings about Bucky.
When asked to explain the connection, Shortland said that "It's got great action. It's got a lot of heart, it's emotional. And at times, it can be a little bit dark, but then it opens up again. And it's really exciting. So I think that's like this film. This film has fantastic action sequences, which we're really proud of."
And that's where we wish we could talk to the audiences Shortland is referring to, and know what kinds of audiences these are. Is the director talking about focus groups? Disney/Marvel employees? A film's director should (hopefully) be this proud of their work, but we want to hear the audiences gush that this movie is as strong a piece of work overall.
We've been waiting for Black Widow
Black Widow is finally coming to theaters and Disney Plus Premier Access on July 9, 2021, after multiple Covid-19 related delays that pushed it back from its original May 2020 release. If Black Widow is as good as The Winter Soldier, it will likely be worth that wait.
That said, it feels like we've been waiting even longer for the Black Widow movie than its 2020 date. Natasha Romanov is one of the few original Avengers (right next to Clint Barton, who is getting his own Hawkeye show on Disney Plus) to have never gotten their own dedicated film. The character has been owed a bit of depth, especially after Avengers: Age of Ultron didn't do a great job.
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