Imagine being this close to landing an MCU role and then having to walk away. Heartbreaking, no? That was Emily Blunt’s reality with Black Widow in Iron Man 2. The role eventually went to Scarlett Johansson.
In a candid chat on The Howard Stern Show, Blunt confessed that she was initially in talks to become the fierce, badass Natasha Romanoff. But then came the dealbreaker: Gulliver’s Travels, a movie she didn’t even want to make, took priority thanks to a pesky contractual obligation. Cue the heartache. “It was a bit of a heartbreaker for me because I take such pride in the decisions that I make,” Blunt said. And well, Black Widow alongside Robert Downey Jr.? That would’ve been legendary. “I wanted to work with Robert Downey Jr.,” Blunt added.
Instead, Johansson ended up stepping in. Scarlett was initially upset about not landing the gig, telling People she was “pretty bummed” when she didn’t get the part. But luck had its say. “Then, I fatefully—several weeks later—[the actor] who was cast in the role originally was not able to do it because of a scheduling conflict,” Johansson revealed. Enter the second-chance opportunity. “I said, ‘Yes, I’m extremely available still,’” she added. And just like that, Black Widow was born.
Now, Emily Blunt’s honesty didn’t stop there. She laid out her feelings about the superhero genre in general, and let’s just say she’s not exactly picking up any Avengers tickets anytime soon.
“It’s not that it’s beneath me. It’s not,” she said. But, “I don’t know if superheroes are for me. They’re not up my alley. I think it’s been exhausted.” Whoa, tell us how you really feel, Em! It’s clear she’s not about that endless stream of superhero content life. “We are inundated,” she said, adding a little shade at the superhero TV shows piling up everywhere.
But don’t start thinking Blunt is shutting down the idea of capes and superpowers. “It would just have to be something so cool,” she said, leaving the door cracked open just a little. Because, let’s face it, if you’re Emily Blunt, you don’t just settle for any superhero role. You need something that really stands out.
So, while Iron Man 2 ended up being Johansson’s big break, Blunt’s path led her to other incredible roles like A Quiet Place. And let’s be real—both actresses turned out just fine. But you can’t help but wonder: What if? Would Blunt’s Black Widow have been just as badass as Johansson’s? That’s a superhero showdown we’ll never get to see.
For more such stories, check out Hollywood News.
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