MCU: Will Black Widow ever come back to life again after Avengers?

Black Widow is a heavily underrated character but she was one of the earliest Avengers. Debuting in Iron Man 2, Black Widow quickly became crucial to the Avengers. From being one of the few heroes who took down a big organization like HYDRA to being the helping hand in one of the biggest encounters in Captain America: Civil War, Black Widow contributed more than her fair share in the good war.

Scarlett Johansson's character met her end during the events of Avengers: Endgame. Hawkeye and Black Widow fought each other to prevent the other from sacrificing themselves to get the Soul Stone. Hawkeye claimed the Soul Stone at the expense of Black Widow's life.

Black Widow and Hawkeye on Vormir (image via Marvel Studios)

Since then, fans have been wondering if Natasha Romanoff will ever make her return to the MCU.

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Black Widow can potentially come back in Avengers: Secret Wars

Scarlett Johansson could return via the multiverse

Natasha Romanoff died in Avengers: Endgame, and it is unlikely fans will ever get to see that exact version of the character come back to life. Since then, however, Marvel has introduced the multiverse. Viewers have seen alternate versions of Scarlet Witch, Doctor Strange, Peggy Carter, and Captain Marvel in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.

Avengers: Secret Wars is scheduled to release in 2026, right after Avengers: The Kang Dynasty. Since there are only three members left of the original Avengers team, namely Hawkeye, The Hulk, and Thor, it's likely that when that happens, the beloved Avengers will reunite again as alternate versions of themselves.

Giant Freakin Robot previously reported via Koimoi that Scarlett Johansson will return once again to Avengers: Secret Wars. She will definitely play Natasha Romanoff, who will aid in the war against whoever the Big Bad is by then.

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Marvel and Scarlett Johansson reportedly working together on a secret project

Last year, reports of Marvel working with Scarlett Johansson on a secret project surfaced online. While it was said that it would be a series, a report from Marvel Updates on Twitter stated otherwise.

Thunderbolts, the upcoming MCU film (image via Marvel Studios)

While it's still unconfirmed, Marvel Updates tweeted that Scarlett Johansson is the executive producer of Marvel's Thunderbolts. The 2024 film features Scarlett's on-screen sister Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova as well as the Red Guardian. Now that Johansson and Disney have seemingly buried the hatchet, the road for Scarlett Johansson to Marvel is open.

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Why did Scarlett Johansson sue Disney?

Scarlett Johansson initiated a legal battle with Disney after alleging that the company breached the terms of its contract. Black Widow was exclusively released on the Disney+ streaming platform, while the contract dictated that the film would get a "wide theatrical release."

The pandemic perhaps changed Disney's course of action but the film was bound to lose out on the box-office premium it would have otherwise made. The company eventually settled its lawsuit against her. While the terms of the contract weren't public, as per Deadline, it reportedly dictated a compensation that exceeded $40 million.

Scarlett Johansson as Natasha Romanoff (image via Marvel Studios)

Johansson asked for an additional $80 million to her $20 million salary for the film. Later, the actress expressed happiness over how their conflict was resolved, which is probably why she will potentially take on a stronger role in Marvel.