'Black Widow' Spin-Off Movie Closer To Becoming A Reality

Several months back, somebody asked Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige if Iron Man 2 side character and The Avengers team member Black Widow (played by Scarlett Johansson) would be getting her own solo outing, to which he replied that it was "definitely possible". While more revelatory than a flat "no", that response doesn't mean much in the world of Hollywood. When it comes to a potentially bankable property, a studio isn't likely to outright write off an opportunity to take advantage of it.

In the case of a Black Widow movie though, there may have been more truth to Feige's words than previously suspected. Read what he had to say after the break.

Feige mentioned that there was movement on the project in a Q&A to promote the DVD and Blu-ray release of Iron Man 2, which you can read in full over at Superhero Hype. The relevant bit is below.

We've already started discussions with Scarlett about the idea of a solo movie and have begun putting together concepts, but 'The Avengers' comes first.

Well, naturally. The Avengers coming first is kind of a necessity here, isn't it? Iron Man 2 only really served as an introduction to the character, doing more to show off her form-fitting attire and fighting abilities than present a role with any sort of human complexity. Were The Avengers to somehow find the time amidst the half dozen other team members to imbue Black Widow with a conflict and character arc worth investing in, then obviously a Black Widow movie could have potential. It's possible that even Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye could play a part in it, as his relationship with Black Widow is said to factor into the story of The Avengers.

All of this is still a ways off though, so let's return to the topic once we see how The Avengers fares. The film hits theaters May 4, 2012.