Scarlett Johansson will return to MCU to produce non-Black Widow project

The 35th American Cinematheque Awards, held Nov. 18th at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California, was a regular love-fest for the show’s main honoree, Scarlett Johansson. At an event dedicated to both the business and artistic sides of the movie industry, attendees heard praises for Johansson’s wide-ranging career from Translation is lost To Jojo Rabbit.

But, as The Hollywood Reporter’s coverage shows, there was one association of Johansson’s that was front and center at the event: Marvel. On one hand, it makes sense, considering Johansson’s decade-plus career in the MCU. Anyone who watched Johansson sue Disney over digital releases of earlier this year might be surprised. Black Widow.

There is apparently water below the bridge. Johansson is eager to return to the Mouse House after signing a September settlement. Johansson is already working on Disney’s Tower of TerrorTaika Waititi directed the movie as producer. Also, she said that she had more projects on the horizon including one related to Marvel. Natasha Romanoff’s time in the spotlight might be over, but Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige’s appearance at the Cinematheque Awards confirms that Johansson’s not done with the MCU.

Feige joined the night’s other speakers — including Iron Man director Jon Favreau, Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Sam Rockwell, Samuel L. Jackson, and Jeremy Renner, who was supplying Johansson with Champagne on the red carpet — in praising the actress’ dedication and groundbreaking career.

“As Marvel Studios’ first and longest-running female hero, Scarlett has stood her ground amongst a sea of men — many named Chris — and paved the way for so many other characters in the MCU: Carol Danvers, Wanda Maximoff, Shuri, Jennifer Walters, Monica Rambeau, Kamala Khan, just to name but a few,” Feige said onstage.

Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images Disney

But it wouldn’t be an MCU-related event if there wasn’t a teaser about what’s coming next.

“We are already working with Scarlett on another non-Black-Widow-related top-secret Marvel Studios project with her as a producer,” Feige said.

After the excitement had subsided, the remainder of the evening proceeded as scheduled. She was accompanied by her co-stars, collaborators, as well as family members, who discussed details about their collaborative work. Favreau shared a story about meeting Johansson for a discussion on the Black Widow role. “She showed up with red hair to the meeting,” Favreau said. “I was a bit taken aback by that, and after she got the role, I asked her, ‘Between you and me, did you just dye your hair just for the meeting?’ She’s like, ‘Yeah, I did … to show you that I was serious about it.’”

Johansson’s lawsuit against Disney was just as serious, accusing the studio of intentionally breaching her contract by releasing Black WidowDisney Plus and theaters. In response, Disney released a statement calling her lawsuit “especially sad and distressing in its callous disregard for the horrific and prolonged global effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.”

Those harsh words earned a response from Creative Artists Agency co-chairman Bryan Lourd, who represents Johansson, saying that Disney “shamelessly and falsely accused Ms. Johansson of being insensitive to the global COVID pandemic, in an attempt to make her appear to be someone they and I know she isn’t.”

At the American Cinematheque Awards all that verbal wrangling seemed to be over. Whatever happened between Johansson, Disney’s long-term collaboration seemed to be more logical than a battle of the words.