The 'Fighting with My Family' star is in talks to join Scarlett Johansson in the upcoming female-led Marvel superhero movie.
- Mar 19, 2019
AceShowbiz - "Black Widow" is adding more girl power to its cast. Rising actress Florence Pugh is reportedly in negotiations to star in the upcoming Marvel movie, which has Scarlett Johansson on board to reprise her role as the titular superhero character.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Pugh will play "a spy on the same level as Romanoff, likely her moral opposite." The movie will center on Romanoff, a Russian spy and assassin who later defects to the United States and becomes an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. and Avenger. Other details about the film have been kept under tight wraps.
That Hashtag Show previously reported that Pugh was in contention for the second female lead role in "Black Widow". The role was said to be as physically demanding as Johansson's part. The site, however, said at the time that Emma Watson was the frontrunner for the role. Alice Englert ("Beautiful Creatures", "Ratched") and Dar Zuzovsky ("Hostages", "Neighborhood") were reportedly also considered for the role, but it appears that Pugh has risen as the strongest contender to take on the role.
Pugh, interestingly, stars alongside Watson in the upcoming "Little Women" movie remake. The 23-year-old British actress had her breakthrough with a leading role in the independent drama "Lady Macbeth" (2016), which led her to win Best Actress at the British Independent Film Award. She went on to star in "Outlaw King" (2018) and most recently starred as WWE wrestler Paige in the sports film "Fighting with My Family".
Jac Schaeffer ("The Hustle") has been hired to pen the script of "Black Widow", with Cate Shortland attached to direct. Filming could begin sometime this year as the studio eyes a 2020 release for the solo movie. The movie will reportedly be set before the first Avengers movie, which hit cinemas in 2012.
