Chloé Zhao Was Originally Offered Black Widow Before Eternals

Many Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) fans point too Eternals as the film where the franchise began to stumble. It had all the ingredients for success: an acclaimed director, Chloé Zhao, and a star-studded cast including Angelina Jolie and salma hayek. The movie aimed to introduce a new team of heroes after the culmination of the Infinity saga. However, it didn’t quite land with audiences, currently holding a 47% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

But things could have been different. Zhao recently revealed on The Ringer podcast that she was initially offered 2021’s black Widow. she explained that Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige approached her with the project first.

“I went in to meet Kevin [feige] and he was talking about Black Widow,” Zhao shared. “And I think at the time, I was very focused on Nomadland and trying to finish that film. I think I wasn’t in a headspace where I could really commit to something that big.”

Zhao continued, explaining that she wasn’t sure she was ready for a large-scale superhero film. She felt she needed to make smaller,more personal films first. “I think I just wasn’t ready to take that leap,” she admitted. “I needed to make Nomadland and then I was ready to take a leap.”

Ultimately, Cate shortland directed Black Widow, and Zhao moved on to Eternals. While Black Widow received mixed reviews, it performed reasonably well at the box office. It’s interesting to consider how Zhao’s vision might have shaped the film, and whether her involvement could have altered the trajectory of the MCU.

One might suggest that Zhao’s initial hesitation stemmed from a desire to maintain her artistic independence. She clearly needed to feel creatively prepared before tackling a project of that magnitude. It’s a testament to her commitment to her craft that she waited until she felt ready to embrace the challenges of a blockbuster superhero film.