5 Marvel Movies To Watch Before Black Widow's Release On Disney Premier Access
After months of shifting release dates, the latest entry of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) will finally be making its way to screens and fans around the world. In under four months, the much anticipated Black Widow will be serving as the first theatrical Marvel release to hit through Disney + premier access. Black Widow has had massive development as a character in the MCU, through her appearances in crossovers and team-up films alone. Now that Widow's solo adventure is on the way, the character's significance to the Marvel Universe will become all the more essential.
5. Iron Man 2 (2010)
Serving as only the third movie released from the ever-expanding MCU, Iron Man 2 introduced several fixed elements which would become vital to the machinations of the franchise, including an official glimpse into secretive intelligence agency S.H.I.E.L.D. (Strategic Homeland Intervention Enforcement and Logistics Division) and their finest agent Natasha Romanoff a.k.a. the deadly Black Widow. Before Black Widow was the Widow that fans would come to know and love, Romanoff was simply Natalie Rushman... Tony Stark a.k.a. Iron Man's newest assistant.
This is an ideal entryway for fans to become acclimated with Natasha's character, prior to her years as an Avenger. The inclusion of Black Widow and S.H.I.EL.D. into an Iron Man film was a concept that was not initially well-received by fans. However, Natasha offered a counterbalance within the grounded world of S.H.I.E.L.D. and eventually The Avengers.
4. The Avengers (2012)
Following her divisive Marvel debut, Black Widow's next big break would come through membership amongst Earth's Mightiest Heroes. For fans who were not convinced by Widow's particular skillset in Iron Man 2, the live-action debut of The Avengers quickly remedies her rocky start. Not only is Black Widow now an established force within the MCU but Natasha is finally allowed to develop as a character and gain a distinct sense of personality.
Surrounded by a team of gods and superhumans, Natasha and to an extent her long-time ally Clint Barton a.k.a. Hawkeye remain the odd ones out without superpowers. The Avengers made time for viewers to get to know the woman behind the Black Widow moniker, setting up her trajectory for future movies.
3. Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
Though Black Widow actress Scarlett Johansson was several months pregnant during the time of Avengers Age of Ultron's extended production, the deduction to Widow's story arc is completely non-existent. Following The Avengers' first victory against the forces of evil, Black Widow has begun to develop a familial relationship with the superhero team that she has fought alongside for months. Hinted and mentioned briefly in past films, Age of Ultron grants audiences the first full glimpse into Natasha's past experiences with Russia's dreaded Red Room Program via flashback sequences.
Trained alongside fellow Black Widow spies in teaching, Natasha was forced to undergo a grueling process of trials which has left a series of physical and emotional scars on the character. With Black Widow's standalone film set to return to Natasha's home turf of Russia, expect certain elements teased in Avengers Age of Ultron to make a comeback.
2. Captain America Civil War (2016):
The final film in the critically acclaimed Captain America trilogy, Captain America Civil War is an event that will prove integral to the fixed time period concerning the Black Widow film. Caught between two factions of The Avengers led by both Steve Rogers / Captain America and Tony Stark / Iron Man, Natasha's allegiance to world security and her newfound friendship with her allies within The Avengers are put to the ultimate test.
Natasha, along with nearly every mainstay Marvel superhero operating on Earth, must decide where their loyalties lie. Though Natasha has begun to form a close bond with Captain America, she began her tenure in the MCU with Tony Stark and characters in his inner circle. Perhaps more than any hero, Widow's decisions made in Civil War lay a set of insurmountable foundations for the upcoming solo adventure.
1. Avengers Endgame (2019)
A cinematic finale over ten years in the making, Avengers Endgame manages to bring Natasha Romanoff's arc, which began in Iron Man 2 and arose with The Avengers, to a satisfying conclusion. Endgame finds Black Widow as the current leader of The Avengers herself; acting as a temporary liaison between other heroes on Earth and even the far reaches of outer space. Following the villainous Thanos' astonishing victory, The Avengers remain in disarray and without a stable support system in place.
If anything, Natasha is the force that manages to keep the team unified in their darkest hour. While Avengers Infinity War features Natasha among hundreds of other heroes and villains, Natasha's appearance is understandably limited in comparison to other characters.
While not an original member of The Avengers in the comic book source material, it's difficult to imagine an on-screen iteration of The Avengers without Black Widow in some fashion. The films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe have become celebrated for displaying the human qualities which exist behind each hero, and Natasha Romanoff is no different. When Black Widow makes its way to theaters and Disney + this summer, the solo film will not have much of an uphill battle in its lead character, thanks to the exposure from past films.
Opinions and Perspectives
After reading this article, I really appreciate how they built up her character over time instead of dumping all her backstory at once.
Think I'll rewatch all these before the new movie comes out. There are probably lots of details I missed the first time.
Interesting how each film slowly revealed more about her past without giving everything away at once.
The way they balanced her deadly skills with her humanity was always impressive. Made her stand out among all the superhumans.
Watching her progression from Iron Man 2 to Endgame really shows how far the MCU has come in developing its characters.
I'm just hoping they do justice to her character's legacy. She deserves an amazing solo film after all these years.
Wonder if we'll see any connections to the current MCU timeline, even though it's set in the past.
The training sequences from the Red Room are going to be intense. Those brief glimpses in Age of Ultron were already pretty dark.
Looking forward to seeing more of her spy skills in the solo movie. The action in the trailer looks more grounded than usual MCU stuff.
Yeah, but they basically dropped that whole plot point afterward, which was probably for the best.
I always appreciated how they didn't force a major romance storyline for her character like they did with many others.
Funny how she started as an undercover agent spying on Tony and ended up being the most trustworthy Avenger.
Anyone else really impressed by how consistent her character development was across different directors?
The evolution of her relationship with Steve Rogers was interesting too. From distrust to complete loyalty.
Going to miss seeing her interact with Tony Stark. Their banter was always entertaining.
Just realized how much screen time she actually got across all these movies. She might not have had a solo film, but she was everywhere.
Totally agree about the sacrifice. It showed how far she'd come from being the lone wolf spy we met in Iron Man 2.
I think her sacrifice made perfect sense for her character arc. She finally found her family with the Avengers and gave everything to protect them.
Still can't believe they killed her off in Endgame. She deserved better than that.
The way they balanced her vulnerability and strength over the movies was really well done. Made her feel more real than most superheroes.
Their loss. We could have had an amazing spy thriller set in the MCU years ago.
Pretty sure they just didn't think a female-led superhero movie would sell back then. Glad times have changed.
Never understood why it took them so long to give her a solo movie. She was clearly one of the most popular characters.
Watching these five movies really shows how much the MCU has evolved. The tone is so different from Iron Man 2 to Endgame.
I'm curious if the new movie will address why she wasn't closer to her Russian family during all the other films.
The progression from spy to Avenger to leader was so well done. Each movie added another layer to her character.
I think what made Natasha special was that she didn't need superpowers to be a hero. She proved herself through skill and determination.
You clearly missed how Civil War set up her conflicted loyalties, which looks pretty important for the new movie.
Not sure I agree about Civil War being essential viewing before Black Widow. Seems more like an optional watch to me.
Looking forward to seeing more of her relationship with Hawkeye. Their friendship was always one of my favorite parts of the earlier movies.
I'm really hoping the solo movie fills in some gaps about Budapest. They've been teasing that story since The Avengers!
The article forgot to mention her amazing scenes in Winter Soldier. That movie really showed her skills as a spy.
Anyone else find it weird that the most normal human Avenger was often the most level-headed one in crisis situations?
I actually loved how they handled her character in Endgame. She was basically running the whole operation while everyone else was falling apart.
Honestly, watching her character development from Iron Man 2 to Endgame is incredible. She went from being seen as eye candy to becoming the glue holding the Avengers together.
Those Red Room scenes in Age of Ultron were so dark. I'm really interested to see how the solo movie expands on that part of her story.
You make a good point about the timing, but I'm just happy we're finally getting her solo film. Better late than never!
The thing that bothers me is that we're getting this movie after Endgame. Would have made more sense to release it before her sacrifice.
True, but I think Age of Ultron actually gave us the most interesting glimpses into her background with the Red Room flashbacks.
Her role in Civil War was fascinating because she had to balance loyalty to both sides. Really showed how complex her character had become.
I disagree about Iron Man 2 being a good starting point. The Avengers is where she really came into her own. Before that she was just kind of there.
Am I the only one who thought her introduction in Iron Man 2 was actually pretty clever? The whole Natalie Rushman thing showed how good she was at going undercover.
The way they developed Natasha's character over multiple films was brilliant. Started as just Stark's assistant and ended up being the heart of the Avengers.
I'm so excited for Black Widow! Iron Man 2 might not have been everyone's favorite, but looking back, Scarlett Johansson really made the character her own from the start.