Marvel Studios’ long-gestating solo movie ‘Black Widow’ has cast O-T Fagbenle in what may very well be the villain role. The studio was looking for a Black British or African actor, age 30-45, to play “tough, dangerous and mysterious” villain, so this lines up with that.
He joins David Harbour, who seems to have the older male role, and Florence Pugh, who plays second female lead, a spy on the same level as Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson), likely her moral opposite.
Fagbenle’s credits include HBO’s ‘Looking,’ BBC’s ‘The Interceptor,’ and Netflix’s ‘The Five.’ He is currently in the acclaimed Hulu series ‘The Handmaid’s Tale,’ which has its third season premiering June 5th.
Further, a list of actors the studio has interest in for different roles is below:
- Older female role:
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- Rachel Weisz (‘Oz the Great and Powerful,’ ‘The Favourite’)
- [She is in early talks, as reaffirmed by Variety]
- Rachel Weisz (‘Oz the Great and Powerful,’ ‘The Favourite’)
- Supporting female role: (age 15-25)
- Camila Mendes (‘The New Romantic,’ ‘Riverdale’)
- Isabela Moner (‘Sicario: Day of the Soldado,’ ‘Dora the Explorer’)
- Storm Reid (‘A Wrinkle in Time,’ ‘When They See Us’)
- Hannah Quinlivan (‘Moon River,’ ‘Skyscraper’)
Meanwhile, Cate Shortland (‘Lore,’ ‘Berlin Syndrome’) will direct. The first draft of the screenplay is from Jac Schaeffer (‘Captain Marvel,’ ‘Vision and Scarlet Witch’). Schaeffer wrote the upcoming ‘The Hustle,’ a remake of ‘Dirty Rotten Scoundrels,’ starring Anne Hathaway and Rebel Wilson. Ned Benson (‘The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby’ trilogy) recently did rewrites on the script.
Other crew members include ‘Mission: Impossible – Fallout’ cinematographer Rob Hardy, seven-time ‘Harry Potter’ costume designer Jany Temime, ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ art director Jim Barr, and ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ production designer Charles Wood.
We’ve known for some time filming for a Phase 4 movie would begin this June in the United Kingdom. That movie is ‘Black Widow,’ and filming will begin on June 3rd and potentially wrap on October 31st, in Pinewood Studios.
Moreover, pre-production is currently underway in London. Other shooting locations could include Croatia and Miami, Florida.
Marvel Studios has yet to officially announce the release date. However, there is an assumption it will take the May 1st, 2020 spot previously slated by Disney.
Source: Deadline