Marvel Cinematic Universe: 10 Twists No One Will See Coming
3. A Black Widow Movie In 2020
The Marvel Cinematic Universe's post-Avengers 4 future in shrouded in mystery, with MCU head Kevin Feige previously hinting that what follows may not be Phase 4.
Whatever their planning to call this clutch of films, the inclusion of a Black Widow solo outing would surprise everyone, since Marvel has resisted the calls for one for so long.
The likes of Captain America and Iron Man could go out on a high during the next two Avengers films. The timing feels right given that actors Chris Evans and Robert Downey Jr will have given a decade of their lives to the MCU by this point.
Scarlett Johansson's Widow, however, needs a standalone movie to bring the character's arc to a satisfactory conclusion.
There's bloodshed in the assassin's past, and although she's redeemed herself in the eyes of the fans through her Avengers heroics, a solo mission which "removes the red from her ledger" would give her the personal absolution she craves.
Following Wonder Woman's sensational box office feats and the buzz surrounding Captain Marvel, female-fronted superhero films are officially in fashion at Hollywood, so the chances of the Widow flying solo have never been stronger.
Ticket sales shouldn't determine such things, but this is the world we live in.