Summary
- Scarlett Johansson achieved the highest-grossing lead actor in cinematic history record.
- Marvel made a mistake by killing off Black Widow as Johansson could've helped carry the franchise.
- Audiences and fans would welcome seeing Black Widow return in future Marvel projects.
Scarlett Johansson is one of the most iconic actors from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. This is due to how important her Black Widow character was to the franchise, but also because she has had an incredible career outside of her work with Marvel Studios.
Marvel Studios shocked fans by killing Black Widow in Avengers: Endgame, ending Johansson's future in the MCU. While she finally got her own solo film after that, she's not expected to return, and a new record that Johansson has achieved proves that was the wrong call.
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What Record Has Scarlett Johansson Achieved?
Jurassic World Rebirth Has Helped Her Reach This Point
Johansson has had an incredible career in the movie industry, which has seen her involved in significant projects. Many of them have been within the MCU, with the various Avengers movies all being substantial box office success stories. However, she's also been involved in many brilliant non-Marvel movies that have dominated at the box office, such as The Jungle Book, Sing, and Lucy. That has allowed her to reach a new achievement, as she is officially the highest-grossing lead actor in cinematic history. It's an unbelievable record for anyone to achieve, especially with Johansson having so many years ahead of her.
Johansson's latest movie, Jurassic World Rebirth, has been the one to take the number one spot over fellow MCU stars Samuel L. Jackson and Robert Downey Jr. And proves that she's still able to be a massive draw. The movie made $318 million in its opening weekend, which will only keep growing and solidifying her in the top position among her peers. Johansson has a total box office earnings of $14.8 billion, an immense figure proving what quality she brings to the industry.
Why Was Killing Black Widow A Mistake By Marvel Studios?
Scarlett Johansson Had The Potential To carry The Franchise If She'd Been Given The chance
This successful record is a big reason why Marvel made a mistake in killing off Black Widow. While it was an emotional moment that added a lot to Avengers: Endgame, she was ultimately a character who could've been taken much further. More importantly for Marvel Studios from a business perspective, Johannson could've offered a lot more to the franchise on the whole if she had been put in a central role in further movies. Her incredible box office return proves that she's someone audiences are happy to pay to see, which isn't a surprise as she's a talented actress. Marvel could've gotten a lot more out of her in that front to try and move the franchise forward while also earning the studio money.
Johansson is a proven leading lady who can be put on a poster and attract audiences to view a film, and that's rare nowadays in Hollywood. Marvel had built up Black Widow over the years to the point where audiences were invested in the character to be used in that manner, but then pulled the plug by killing her too soon. This was ultimately a costly mistake, as Johansson might've been able to help Marvel Studios in what has been a slight downturn period for the franchise in terms of box office results.
Could Scarlett Johansson Return In A Future Marvel Movie?
MCU Fans Would Enjoy Seeing Black Widow Appear Again
Marvel provided a definitive ending for Black Widow's story in Avengers: Endgame as she sacrificed herself on planet Vormir to ensure The Avengers obtained the Soul Stone to defeat Thanos. She and Hawkeye fought each other in a bid to be the one who died, which created a very noble and emotional death, but it was ultimately Black Widow who was the more skilled fighter, as she died against Hawkeye's wishes. That ended her time in the MCU within the current storyline, but it doesn't mean that Johansson is necessarily done with the franchise on the whole. She returned after Avengers: Endgame to take on the lead role in Black Widow, exploring her history as a character and her connection with Florence Pugh's Yelena. The movie grossed $379 million worldwide against a $200 million budget, proving that Marvel can get creative to find ways to still explore her character.
Audiences would be more than happy to see more stories with Black Widow, whether that's in cameo appearances or another solo project, as it feels like there is a lot of potential in a Black Widow television show that explores some of the missions she did. Diving into her history with Hawkeye is something else that Marvel could do, and would help to provide more details for each character. Of course, the multiverse has also opened the door for people to return, as is being proven with Robert Downey Jr in Avengers: Doomsday. That is another possible way that Johansson could make a comeback in the MCU, as a variant of a different character in the upcoming Avengers film, which would certainly aid her box office record.
