The first Avengers movie was released in 2012, featuring six characters including Scarlett Johansson's Black Widow. The film set the stage for future Avengers films and had a predominantly white male cast. Former Marvel Studios head, Isaac "Ike" Perlmutter, initially didn't believe that "girl" superhero toys would be popular, causing a delay in Black Widow merchandise. Nevertheless, the character became beloved in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with Johansson's portrayal receiving positive reviews. Perlmutter left Marvel in 2015 and was recently affected by Disney's layoffs. Johansson appeared in the standalone film Black Widow in 2021, despite its lack of success.
She has not expressed any plans to return to the MCU, but fans hope she may change her mind.
