Florence Pugh Is A Great Choice To Take On The Black Widow Mantle
The Marvel Cinematic Universe's first film of Phase 4, Black Widow, is set to release this summer. Because it's a prequel to Avengers: Infinity War and Scarlett Johannson's Black Widow was of course killed in Avengers: Endgame, many fans have speculated what effect the film could have on the future of the franchise. It's entirely possible that it'll have no effect at all and could be a bit of a standalone film just to honor the character, but there's another theory floating around. The film is going to introduce the character Yelena Belova, who is like a sister to Natasha Romanoff.
Yelena will be played by Florence Pugh, and there's a lot of rumors that the baton will formally be passed to her and she will carry on as the new Black Widow. This was fuelled even more so when it was announced that she would be appearing in the upcoming Hawkeye series. Florence Pugh is a bit of a Hollywood "It Girl" at the moment, known for a few major film roles and her very vibrant social media. Looking at her resume, she has a fairly extensive history of playing some pretty cool, strong, and developed female characters. If she was going to join the MCU on a more permanent basis as a superhero, she is in so many ways a perfect choice because of these well-rounded roles.
Ari Aster's wildly disturbing, yet also comforting, 2019 folk horror Midsommar was kind of a breakout role for Pugh. She had done a few things before, but this was one that really propelled her to stardom. The film follows her character Dani, as well as Dani's partner and some of their friends, as they go with one of their college buddies to his home-- a commune in Sweden. There they are meant to experience their Midsommar festival in an authentic way, but of course, things aren't what they seem and it quickly turns into a bit of a bloodbath.
The main themes of the film primarily focus on Pugh's character Dani, her trauma, and the breakdown of her relationship. She might not seem like such a strong character if she's taken for face value, but if critical thought is given to what she's been through and how she's overcoming it, it's easy to see just how strong of a person Dani is. There is also of course the explosive ending of the film.
Dani is crowned May Queen by the cult, and is essentially given the choice as to whether she wants to sacrifice (burn alive) her boyfriend who has scorned her, or someone she doesn't know. She chooses her boyfriend. It might seem cruel and kind of evil, but it is also kind of the ultimate revenge and a real power flex. The great thing about Dani is that she is very vulnerable and flawed, but that makes her relatable. Bringing that to a female character in the MCU is kind of unheard of, and would make a great addition to the series.
Pugh's role in Greta Gerwig's Little Women as the youngest member of the March family, Amy, actually earned her her first Academy Award nomination. Amy is often thought of as a bit of an annoying character because she's very young for a lot of the series and is quite naughty and a bit whiny.
However, Amy is someone who knows her place in society and how she can succeed in that place. She also knows how to get what she wants, and has a very rebellious spirit. At one point in the film, her eventual husband Laurie mocks her for dating a man she doesn't love because of his status. She delivers a beautiful yet heartbreaking monologue, saying "Even if I had my own money, which I don't, it would belong to my husband the minute we were married. If we had children they would belong to him, not me. They would be his property. So don't sit there and tell me that marriage isn't an economic proposition, because it is. It may not be for you but it most certainly is for me."
Amy is an incredibly self-aware character who, similar to Dani, has been through a lot. She's never scared to be herself and she's incredibly motivated and, again, flawed. With so many themes of the MCU revolving around family, a character who loves so hard and would do anything for her family and loved ones like Amy does, would fit in well.
The most obvious character for reference in a superhero would be her role as professional wrestler Paige in the biopic Fighting With My Family. Because the character is a wrestler, she's the most traditionally "strong" character because she fights. She's also quite harsh, and she doesn't take grief from anyone.
Paige also loves her family very much. She's in a lot of pain when she feels she doesn't fit in. She nearly gives up on her dream because she finds it so difficult. It's a story of that person's perseverance and, like Amy in Little Women, Paige also gets flack for being herself because she's a unique person. Pugh was actually eyed for her role in Black Widow in part because of what she did with Paige in Fighting With My Family, and it makes complete sense as to why.
The rumors of Pugh becoming the next Black Widow are at this point of course just rumors, but it does seem to be kind of promising. There's no denying her talent, and her acting resume makes her more than qualified to take on the job. It would be a fresh take on the character, she's got a lot of hardcore fans, and almost feels like a natural trajectory for her career.
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