CinemaBlend participates in affiliate programs with various companies. We may earn a commission when you click on or make purchases via links.
As we all know, the Marvel Cinematic Universe is a behemoth force in the entertainment industry. But there was a time when serialized storytelling was a major risk, especially when it came to Joss Whedon's groundbreaking blockbuster The Avengers. That type of ensemble superhero flick hadn't been done yet, and even stars like Scarlett Johansson weren't sure it was going to work. Although the Black Widow actress did explain when she changed her mind about the blockbuster.
The Avengers was the first major crossover event of the MCU, with heroes like Iron Man, Captain America, and Thor meeting for the first time. While we all know this as a moment that would make cinema history, it wasn't always a sure thing. Scarlett Johansson recently explained her nerves around that first Avengers flick, saying:
Even the thought of all of us together in our superhero costumes sounded like it was going to be a disaster. Not a disaster, but, like, What is this? What is this?
While Scarlett Johansson had already made her MCU debut as Black Widow in Iron Man 2, Natasha Romanoff was really given the spotlight in the first Avengers movie. But she still had concerns about all the various superheroes together on the big screen for the first time. Luckily, it all very much paid off.
Scarlett Johansson's comments to The Gentlewoman offers a glimpse into what it was really like working on the first Avengers movie. While Joss Whedon had a killer cast playing iconic Marvel superheroes, the movie was a huge financial risk. Said risk would pay off, and the MCU has been on a box office roll ever since.
Marvel fans can re-watch Scarlett Johansson's time in the MCU on Disney+. You can use this link to sign up for the streaming service.
Later in that same interview, Scarlett Johansson also explained the moment where she realized The Avengers was going to be something truly special. And it occurred during the final Battle of New York, when Earth's Mightiest Heroes united in one epic shot. As she put it,
I remember doing that 360 shot, and we’re standing in the rubble of Grand Central or whatever, of this alien onslaught, and all of us are ready, like: Here we go, this is it. And then they showed us the playback, and I think that was the moment that all of us, finally, after six months of shooting, were, ‘Oh, this is going to work. I think this is going to work.
I mean, can you blame her? The 360 shot from The Avengers is one of the most iconic moments from that blockbuster's entire runtime. What's more, it was even re-aired during the Time Heist of Avengers: Endgame. Because even The Russo Brothers knew that seeing the heroes together in that way was significant.
While Scarlett Johansson wasn't sure about The Avengers originally, she'd go on to reprise her role as Black Widow in all of the sequels, as well as two Captain America movies. Despite Natasha's death in Endgame, we'll also be finally treated to a solo flick when Black Widow arrives in theaters and straight to homes this summer.
Black Widow is currently set to release on July 9th. In the meantime, check out our 2021 release list to plan your next movie experience.
