The Marvel Cinematic Universe has been going strong for a decade of filmmaking, and is showing no signs of slowing down. On the contrary, more characters are being added with each phase of films, with the current slate of movies bringing in heroes like Black Panther, Spider-Man, and Captain Marvel. Samuel L. Jackson's Nick Fury has been the connective tissue between the various franchises, first appearing in 2007's Iron Man and telling Tony Stark that the world was much bigger than he realized.
Since his tenure in the MCU has been so long already, Samuel L. Jackson knows a thing or two about Earth's Mightiest Heroes. When he was recently asked which Avenger was his favorite, the legendary actor said:
Nick Fury. Because he's me. Actually, Black Widow.
Always one to crack a joke, Samuel L. Jackson originally answered that his own Nick Fury was his favorite Avenger. Since he's played him in 10 movies with Avengers: Endgame, you'd have to give him a break. But ultimately he decided on none other than Scarlett Johansson's Natasha Romanoff/ Black Widow.
Samuel L. Jackson's comments to THR will no doubt excite the many Black Widow fans out there, who have been waiting for Scarlet Johansson's iconic MCU hero to finally get her time in the spot light. Despite being an OG Avenger, Widow is one of the heroes to not get their own solo flick-- although one is finally in active development at Marvel Studios. Instead, she's been a layered and complex character who has played supporting roles in the Avengers franchise, as well as Iron Man 2, Winter Soldier and Civil War.
Despite not getting her own movie in the first three phases of the MCU, Black Widow has remained a fan favorite. While most characters' intentions are clear, Natasha Romanoff is someone who can operate in more of a morally grey headspace. Just look at her in Captain America: Civil War. While firmly on Team Iron Man, she ultimately lets Captain America and Bucky escape from the battle on the tarmac.
It should be interesting to see what comes next for Black Widow. She's one of the few characters to survive Thanos' finger snap of death (aka The Decimation), and will no doubt be a major character in Avengers: Endgame. She's one of the more featured characters in the first trailer, and it should be interesting to see if she makes it out of the battle with Thanos alive.
Additionally, a Black Widow movie is being developed by Marvel Studios, although it's unclear if the project will be set in the current timeline or if it'll be a prequel. The character's backstory was briefly hinted at, and fans are eager to know more about the spy.
You can catch Black Widow and Nick Fury return to the MCU when Avengers: Endgame arrives in theaters on April 26th, 2019. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your trips to the movies in the New Year.
