There have been rumours for a while about who Marvel would pick to direct the long-awaited stand-alone film about Scarlett Johansson's Natasha Romanoff, AKA Black Widow. Cate Shortland, previously reported as a front-runner, has won the job.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the Australian director surged to the front of the pack (which has included the likes of Amma Asante and Kimberly Pierce), helped by the backing of the movie's star. Shortland's previous work includes films such as Lore and last year's Berlin Syndrome, which saw Teresa Palmer's characters kidnapped after a one-night stand.
Marvel had been targeting female directors for the movie, which has yet to reveal its story, though it'll likely explore how she got all that red in her ledger. Jac Shaeffer has written the most recent draft of the script, though Shortland will likely develop it further. And, waiting to see how it all shakes out, the studio has yet to lock down a release date.
The next Marvel movie to arrive in the UK will be Ant-Man And The Wasp, due out on 2 August.
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