CinemaBlend participates in affiliate programs with various companies. We may earn a commission when you click on or make purchases via links.
The journey to Marvel Studios’ Black Widow has been a long and winding road filled with delays but, now, the movie is finally set to release this summer. With this being the first Marvel Cinematic Universe film to be released since summer 2019, you can imagine many are eager to feast their eyes on the Scarlett Johansson-led film. There are, however, those who’ve already seen the movie, thanks to test screenings. And according to director Cate Shortland, viewers are already comparing it to a past MCU installment, which should get audiences even more hyped!
Even though the films and TV shows of the MCU take place within the same continuity, they contain different vibes all their own, which make them unique from each other. I mean let’s be honest, Guardians of the Galaxy is a far cry from Black Panther, while Ant-Man is quite different from Iron Man. Nevertheless, it’s only natural that some will contain similar styles. Black Widow’s Cate Shortland recently revealed her cinematic inspirations for the movie to Fandango and, during the chat, she also revealed that early viewers are likening it to a major Marvel movie:
First, we looked at things like No Country for Old Men. And then we looked at things like Thelma and Louise. And the Marvel film — people that have seen it have said it reminds them of it — [is] Captain America: The Winter Soldier.
So it would seem Black Widow is giving off major Captain America: The Winter Soldier vibes, which honestly isn’t too surprising to hear. Winter Soldier is one of the more grounded stories to come out of the MCU, and Black Widow looks to be following suit. Like Joe and Anthony Russo’s 2014 film, Cate Shortland’s movie also seems to be putting major emphasis on hand-to-hand combat, which is always refreshing to see in a world where characters can shoot beams from their hands or wield Asgardian weapons.
Captain America: The Winter Soldier was met with critical acclaim when it first opened back in 2014, with many praising it for its story, action and social commentary. The movie was only the first MCU venture for the Russo Brothers, yet many still hold it in high regard and name it as one of, if not the best film in the entire cinematic universe. The movie is currently available to stream on Disney+, which you can sign up for using this link.
Cate Shortland’s comments are definitely exciting to hear and hearing that she also looked to movies like No Country for Old Men and Thelma & Louise for guidance is intriguing. There are still plenty of questions to consider when it comes to Natasha Romanoff’s solo outing but, after what we’ve seen and heard, there’s plenty of reason to be optimistic about the first film in MCU Phase Four.
Black Widow hits theaters and Disney+ (via Premier Access) on July 9.
