Scarlett Johansson Wants to Return to MCU but Not as the Black Widow

Scarlett Johansson teases a possible return to the MCU—not as Black Widow. This time she is hoping for a brand-new, and totally unexpected role.

Scarlett Johansson has done it all—from sci-fi films to Oscar-nominated dramas, and even MCU blockbusters.

But now, she has ventured onto a different path, altogether.

After decades of appearing onscreen and sometimes serving as a producer, Johansson made a dazzling splash at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, with her directorial debut, Eleanor the Great.

Trading her Black Widow latex suit for a director’s chair, Scarlett Johansson made waves with her new film Eleanor the Great.

But somehow, fans can’t seem to move past her MCU role, and wondered if she might consider returning to Marvel.

Turns out, she’s eyeing something exciting and totally unexpected.

Scarlett Johansson revealed her plans for her MCU return 

Although most of us have failed to move past Black Widow’s death in Avengers: Endgame, the actress behind the role, Scarlett Johansson, seems to have bid adieu to Natasha Romanoff.

So, while fans have been bugging her about the possibility of her return to the MCU, the actress has been dropping clear remarks about it.

Once again, during her recent interview with Deadline, Scarlett Johansson clarified her plans for her MCU return as Black Widow.

Turns out, while the actress refused to re-open Natasha Romanoff’s tragic chapter, Johansson hinted at a new chapter in the MCU.

Unlike Robert Downey Jr’s return in a different onscreen role, Johansson hinted at direction.

Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow | image: Marvel Studios.

Yep, Scarlett Johansson seems to be open about the possibility of returning as a director to the MCU, rather than a dramatic superhero comeback in her red wig and butt-kicking action.

While chatting about her Cannes debut, Eleanor the Great, Johansson made it clear that she would love to direct a Marvel movie that comes with real emotions and human messiness.

I think the movies that I like that are big action movies also have the human connectivity piece.

Even producing Black Widow and being a part of the production of that, and the development of the story, and the story between Natasha and Yelena… 

[There is] I think, a way of doing it, a way of maintaining the integrity of the idea of human connection, family, disappointment, all of the things that were themes in [Eleanor the Great], and doing it in a giant way in a giant universe — there’s ways of doing that… So, yeah, definitely, it could be, it would be fun.

Speaking about how Black Widow wasn’t just all punches and explosions—it was also about family, pain, and that weirdly sweet bond between Natasha and Yelena, Scarlett Johansson noted that she’s driven by those stories.

So, while she might not return to the screen, Johansson is kinda hoping to direct a big, emotional MCU blockbuster.

Scarlett Johansson honored her Jewish identity in Eleanor the Great

Meanwhile, let’s talk about Scarlett Johansson’s directorial debut! Eleanor the Great, starring June Squibb in the role of the 94-year-old lead, Eleanor Morgenstein, narrates the heartfelt tale about friendship and human connections.

At its core, the movie is about Eleanor, who is forced to return to New York and move in with her daughter Lisa (Jessica Hecht), after spending most of her life with her best friend, Bessie (Rita Zohar).

Now, at 94, when Eleanor is pulled out of her roots following her best friend’s demise and dropped in the bustling city, she finds it difficult to befriend someone, or even form a basic human connection.

Amid difficulty in adjusting to the transition, while simultaneously longing for connection, Eleanor eventually comes across a 19-year-old journalism student, Nina (Erin Kellyman).

While highlighting the absolute need for human connection, Scarlett Johansson‘s Eleanor the Great also tapped into the Jewish heritage and identity.

Considering how Johansson herself belongs to the Jewish community, the actress drove her lens towards the local Jewish Community Center, and delved into a very humane yet psychologically crooked side of Eleanor, and her desperation to fit in.

The Jewish identity piece of this story is something that I felt I could confidently execute because it’s in my DNA.

I grew up identifying as a Jewish kid growing up in New York, I had a grandmother who was not like Eleanor in some ways, but also kind of impossible and amazing — a very strong character; a very strong Jewish woman.

And I think hopefully when you see the film, the authenticity of that comes through.

If that piece didn’t feel authentic to me, I probably wouldn’t have touched this film.

In Eleanor the Great, Scarlett Johansson didn’t just put her director cap on—she also poured her personal roots into the story.

For Johansson, this wasn’t just a check-the-box cultural moment—it was real, deep, and totally part of her DNA.

Considering how the actress grew up in New York surrounded by Jewish traditions—bringing that into Eleanor’s world just made sense.

A still from Eleanor the Great (2025) | image: TriStar Pictures.

Johansson even admitted that if the Jewish part of the story didn’t feel real to her, she wouldn’t have done the film at all.

That’s how seriously she took the meaning of authenticity. And from the looks of it, Eleanor the Great isn’t just a movie—it’s a love letter to her roots, her family, and the strong women who came before her.

Eleanor the Great premiere at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival on May 20, 2025.