In supporting her directorial debut Eleanor the Great premiering at the Cannes Film Festival Scarlett Johansson spoke out about Avengers: Endgame and its shocking exclusion from the Best Picture category at the 2020 Oscars. Despite the film’s worldwide success and critical success, Johansson remains baffled by the absence of major award consideration.
“An Impossible Movie That Worked”
Speaking with Vanity Fair in an interview, Johansson referred to Endgame as “an impossible movie that should not have worked,” the success of whose execution and massive popularity she regarded as Oscar-worthy. Though the film was nominated for Best Visual Effects, the actress believes that it deserved a lot more, particularly with its emotional impact and international popularity.
A Role Meant to Be
Interestingly, Johansson was initially not the intended choice for Natasha Romanoff, aka Black Widow. The role was first offered to Emily Blunt, who had to back out because of scheduling issues. Johansson has remembered being heartbroken when she didn’t get the role the first time around but later explained getting the call to replace Blunt as “the best call ever.”
Final Goodbye to Black Widow?
As anticipation mounts for Avengers: Doomsday slated for release on May 1, 2026 fans have pointed out Johansson’s name absent from the A-list cast list. Asked if she would return, she acknowledged it’s difficult to imagine a way to bring her character back that would be meaningful. “Her story is complete,” she said. “I don’t want to mess with that.”
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The new movie will have returning stars such as Chris Hemsworth, Florence Pugh, Paul Rudd, Tom Hiddleston, Pedro Pascal, and even Robert Downey Jr., directed by Joe and Anthony Russo. But for Johansson, Endgame seems to be her swan song in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
