Phase Four of the Marvel Cinematic Universe has revolved around the idea of legacy, and every member of the original Phase One Avengers has a direct replacement or surrogate character coming replace them.
Dominique Thorne’s Riri Williams will debut in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever as the build towards Ironheart begins; Sam Wilson is already established as the new Captain America; Clint Barton will hand off the bow and arrow to Kate Bishop in Hawkeye; Bruce Banner’s cousin Jennifer Walters gets her own Disney Plus series when She-Hulk arrives next yea; Natalie Portman’s Jane Foster will prove herself worthy of Mjolnir in Thor: Love and Thunder; and while Florence Pugh’s Yelena Belova was confirmed to be picking up the Black Widow mantle.
The Academy Award nominee was singled out as a highlight of Phase Four’s feature, and as difficult as it would be to replace Scarlett Johansson, the fans would more than likely be on board. We’re now hearing from our sources — the same ones who told us Riri Williams would make her MCU bow in the Black Panther sequel long before it was confirmed — that Pugh’s Black Widow sequel is moving forward.
Marvel must have pulled the trigger based on the rapturous reception to her performance in Cate Shortland’s contentious hybrid release; it’ll be curious to see how her revenge arc set in motion by Black Widow‘s post-credits scene leaves Yelena after Hawkeye.
