The Black Widow Trailer is the Hardcore Espionage Movie We Want it to Be

Finally, ten years after her debut in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Black Widow is getting her own movie—and early this morning, we got the first trailer. Since Iron Man 2, she appeared in every Avengers movie, along with Captain America: Winter Soldier and Civil War. Fans started calling for a solo Black Widow film even before the first Avengers came out. And what kind of movie will Black Widow be? Hardcore espionage.

The Black Widow Trailer Echoes Captain America: The Winter Soldier

A New Suit for Black Widow via screengrab

Many Marvel fans still consider The Winter Soldier, Captain America’s second solo film, the best MCU movie yet. Winter Soldier dynamically changed the tone and look of the Captain America franchise, from the nostalgic boy scout of First Avenger to a 007/Mission: Impossible spy thriller with hyperphysical violence and catastrophe. The Black Widow trailer is all of that and more. The action is bigger, but still very much an espionage movie.

When Will Black Widow Take Place in the MCU?

Introducing the Taskmaster, via screengrab

Midway through Endgame, Black Widow sacrificed her life so that Hawkeye could bring home the Soul Stone. And even though Hulk tried to bring her back with everyone else, the stones wouldn’t let him. As far as we know, Natasha Romanov is dead. So, this must be a prequel of some kind, right? At Comic-Con in 2019, Kevin Feige revealed this movie takes place between Captain America: Civil War and Avengers: Infinity War.

It wouldn’t be the first time Marvel released a film out of order. Ant-Man and the Wasp takes place before Avengers: Infinity War, though it came out a few months after. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 takes place only six months after the first, yet came out after several other films. Black Panther takes place just one week after Civil War. And Captain Marvel was the first “prequel” of the MCU.

But there’s one issue—it would take place during the Infinity Saga, which Kevin Fiege said was finished. And Black Widow is also supposed to be the start of Phase 4.

Will Black Widow Could Take a Page from Captain Marvel?

David Harbour as Red Guardian, via screengrab

So, if Black Widow is the first movie of Phase Four, why tell a story that takes place during Phase Three? It seems like too big of a slot for this to be just Black Widow’s movie, but rather the start of the next saga. What could likely happen is that the movie is during that gap between Civil War and Infinity War, but, just as the end credit scene to Captain Marvel brought her into the current events of the franchise, so will Black Widow.

There’s a BIG question remaining. When Captain America returned the soul stone to the moment it was taken in Avengers: Endgame, what did that mean Natasha? The Soul Stone was always about a trade—so if it’s put back, Steve would have to get a soul in return. And this is Marvel Studios. Sure, they might say Scarlet Johansson is done with the role, but don’t be surprised if we see her come back during the credits.

Check out the trailer for yourself!

Featured image via screengrab

Roman Colombo finished his MFA in 2010 and now teaches writing and graphic novel literature at various Philadelphia colleges. His first novel, Trading Saints for Sinners, was published in 2014. He's currently working on his next novel and hoping to find an agent soon.