Florence Pugh had endeared herself to Marvel Cinematic Universe fans long before the credits even rolled on Black Widow, with the Academy Award nominee’s scene-stealing turn as Yelena Belova instantly establishing her as the internet’s new obsession.
Scarlett Johansson may have bowed out of the franchise, but the code name looks to be in exceedingly good hands, with director Cate Shortland confirming that Pugh is set to pick up the mantle in the future. The actress is also known for her strong social media game, so she couldn’t help but share her thoughts when she discovered a Black Widow Halloween display that saw Yelena nowhere to be found, as you can see below.
Pugh will be back on our screens when Hawkeye begins airing from November 24, picking up where Black Widow‘s post-credits scene left off, with Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ Contenssa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine sending Yelena on a revenge mission after claiming Clint Barton was responsible for her surrogate sister’s death.
Despite her motivations, the chances are high that Yelena may turn her back on villainy before her time in Hawkeye draws to a close, because she’s just too popular among MCU supporters to be one of the bad guys.