The Marvel Cinematic Universe is set to welcome a number of new faces over the next several years, as new properties are steadily introduced into the sprawling franchise. One of these characters is Florence Pugh’s Yelena Belova, who is set to make her debut in the highly anticipated (and consistently delayed) Black Widow. In addition to being a solo vehicle for Scarlett Johansson’s Natasha Romanoff, many see it as “a passing of the torch” story and believe it will end with Yelena becoming the new Black Widow. So could Florence Pugh find herself in the MCU past her appearance in this film?
While Florence Pugh has yet to confirm whether or not she will definitely return as Yelena after Black Widow, the rising star definitely seems to enjoy being a part of the Marvel family. And it sounds like, at the very least, she likes the idea of sticking around for a while:
If you get asked to be in a Marvel film, and it was so thrilling and fun and exciting to be in, then of course, your head goes: ‘Oh my God. If this is what it’s like, then what else is next? “If that happens and I am lucky enough that people appreciate my character, that’s an exciting road to go on. I would be silly to not be excited by it. I think that being part of the Marvel club is a great honour. But we’ll just see if people like Yelena first.
The actress did seem to be playing coy while speaking with Total Film (via GamesRadar), but her answer does sound mostly optimistic. Having a star of Florence Pugh’s caliber could only be a good thing for Marvel Studios. She’s becoming a highly sought-after talent in Hollywood and is landing some juicy roles as a result. It would honestly be surprising if Marvel didn’t want to keep her around for years to come.
Florence Pugh’s Yelena will be introduced as a sister-like figure to Natasha Romanoff, and trailers for Black Widow have teased that they share a loving (and competitive) relationship. Since working on the film, Pugh has become close with Scarlett Johansson, and it’ll be interesting to see how the two play off each other on screen.
Black Widow has been touted as a different kind of MCU movie, particularly when it comes to its action sequences. As a result, Florence Pugh’s work on the film varied from that of her other projects. The actress knew the role would require more physical preparation, and she enjoyed getting “dirty” while performing her stunts. Nevertheless, she stood her ground when it came to the idea of having to undergo any major physical transformations.
It’s hard to predict what lies ahead for Yelena Belova, as Florence Pugh has even denied that she’ll become the next Black Widow. But regardless of what happens, Pugh is sure to give it her all in her first (or only) performance in the MCU.
Black Widow is currently scheduled to open in theaters on November 6.
