Iron Man 2 Scarlett Johansson is the Black Widow

[The Major]

This is one of those casting choices where it could have been FAR FAR worse, but it also could've been significantly more inspired.

Agreed.

 

[The Major]

Scarlett is not who I would have thought of for Black Widow, but I'm cautiously optimistic.

Favreau got a good performance out of Gwy Paltrow in IM, and I've never been too fond of her. I've loved some of Scarlett's performances. Maybe Fav's approach will get the same results with Scarlett.

Black Widow's a much tougher role then Pepper Potts.

 

[Crook]

And you're acting like Johanssen is the best actress in Hollywood for the role. She isn't. Hopefully this isn't stunt casting, but it looks very much like it.

No one has acted like she is the best in the world. But honestly, for people to complain about this casting is truly confusing for me. The population of actresses fit for this role is already small in the first place. ScarJo fits it, no matter how many disagree with it.

I mean, I could understand the Ledger backlash more, and he's an Oscar nominee!

 

[hatebox]

I agree was Helen Mirren, Judi Dench or Meryl Streep not available?

You're being facetious. Therefore I win.

Hooray for me.

 

[Lobo]

And you're acting like Johanssen is the best actress in Hollywood for the role. She isn't. Hopefully this isn't stunt casting, but it looks very much like it.

Maybe we'll find out that she was?

I like Scarlett, and think she's a very good young actress, so I'm supportive. I liked Blunt a bit more, but Fox optioned her to do Gulliver's Travels, so I'm not gonna complain too much about it. They hired a capable actress, not a bikini model.

 

[DJ Kornphlake]

Aha, I was wondering where all the complainers from the Wolverine board went.

 

[Chewy]

I think ScarJo's a good actress

She doesn't doesn't like anything like BW. And I don't think she can pull off the accent (she failed to pull off the required accent in that movie with Natalie Portman)

 

[kedrell]

ScarJo is the kind of actress who does well or poor depending on who's directing her. Thus I am optimistic, because I trust Favs to be a great director.

 

[Cmill216]

All it means is at the very best, Scarlett was the #2 choice. That's really not bad at all. It's not like they lost their top pick so now they're going to the bottom of the barrel.

That's one way of looking at it.

Another is that she isn't who they wanted or who they ultimately envisioned playing the role. She's simply the next best available option.

 

[Raiden]

Although I would've love to have Emily Blunt to play BW, I'm okay with the casting of Scarlet Johanssen. ScarJo has done a number of movies to show that she can actually act and act well, like Lost in Transition, and she's not a model who looks pretty but never acted before. They already have one good movie under their belt, and I trust that Favreau will make sure to get IM2 the best treatment possible. And I'm glad ScarJo seems very excited to be part of this movie.

 

[Matt.S99]

No one has acted like she is the best in the world. But honestly, for people to complain about this casting is truly confusing for me. The population of actresses fit for this role is already small in the first place. ScarJo fits it, no matter how many disagree with it.

I mean, I could understand the Ledger backlash more, and he's an Oscar nominee!

Couldnt have said it better myself Crook!

 

[HailtotheKing]

No one has acted like she is the best in the world. But honestly, for people to complain about this casting is truly confusing for me. The population of actresses fit for this role is already small in the first place. ScarJo fits it, no matter how many disagree with it.

I mean, I could understand the Ledger backlash more, and he's an Oscar nominee!

Except the casting opinions for a sexy acrobatic/athletic female Russian spy aren't that small and Scarlett actually doesn't fit it.

Scarlett isn't even confident in herself for action roles which means this has a huge chance of turning out terrible for the character and having her be nothing but a seductress that sleeps with powerful men.

Johansson Apprehensive Over Amazon
Role4 March 2009 4:10 AM, PST | From wenn.com | See recent WENN news


Scarlett Johansson is battling with her own self-confidence to take on the role of a bloodthirsty gladiatrix - because she isn't sure she "fits the mould" of a warrior woman.

The sexy actress has signed a deal to star in Amazon, the story of a female gladiator in 200 BC who takes on the might of an army after her homeland is destroyed.

But although the star has dealt with guns and fight scenes in her previous big screen adventures, she's apprehensive at the prospect of transforming into a tough-girl action star.

She says, "I think I'm supposed to be a gladiatrix. These film guys are crazy about gladiatrixes. But do I fit the mould? I'm a Danish/Jewish girl from New York.

"I've done weapons training. I've fired all kinds of guns; 9mm semi-automatics, machine guns, shotguns. I've jumped off a 60-foot building. I learnt to ride for The Horse Whisperer. But I've never done a full-on action role.

"I guess I'm still waiting for my Cirque du Soleil moment. It would be fun."

 

[Crook]

That's one way of looking at it.

Another is that she isn't who they wanted or who they ultimately envisioned playing the role. She's simply the next best available option.

Well, let me bring a little more perspective here, since Nolan and Favreau both seem like character-directors, and have relatively taken the same approach to their adaptations. If Nolan had his first choice for every role, it'd have been:

Ra's Al Ghul: Viggo Mortensen
Alfred: Anthony Hopkins
Gordon: Chris Cooper
Harvey Dent: Matt Damon

I'd say those were all pretty significant roles for the past 2 Batman films. And what we got instead, were the "next available options" he could get. Hell, for some of them they weren't even the second or third pick. Yet, we got fabulous performances nonetheless. In large part due to their talent and Nolan's direction. So goes to show how much importance a #1 pick plays into the film. Which is...close to nothing.

Except the casting opinions for a sexy acrobatic/athletic female Russian spy aren't that small and Scarlett actually doesn't fit it.

I'd love for you to list these vast number of capable actresses fit for the role then.

 

[terry78]

See, the double standard has always been when casting the dudes in superhero flicks, they don't have to look EXACTLY like them, so long as they bring depth to the role, but when it comes to the chicks, not only do they have to bring depth and character, but they damn sure better look JUST like the artist renderings, short of plastic surgery. IF you want someone that looks like most of the comic versions of Natasha Romanova, you best go to Moscow and find a Russian hooker/supermodel, cause that's all you're gonna get that close.

 

[PyroChamber]

One thing's for sure, Scarlett better start stocking up on comics with Black Widow in them.

 

[DocHoliday]

See, the double standard has always been when casting the dudes in superhero flicks, they don't have to look EXACTLY like them, so long as they bring depth to the role, but when it comes to the chicks, not only do they have to bring depth and character, but they damn sure better look JUST like the artist renderings, short of plastic surgery. IF you want someone that looks like most of the comic versions of Natasha Romanova, you best go to Moscow and find a Russian hooker/supermodel, cause that's all you're gonna get that close.

You know, I had never thought of that...As I said above Scarlett Jo. needs to have red hair but I also think Stark has to have some kind of facial hair for example. But I think you might be right about the gender thing.

 

[HailtotheKing]

I'd love for you to list these vast number of capable actresses fit for the role then.

I'm sure anyone I say you'll just say "uninspired" or that they aren't good enough even though you think an a short, slightly pudgy average actress like Scarlett is capable enough of playing such an sexy, dangerous, intensely physical character.

But to humor you here are some that instantly come to mind.

Milla Jovovich
Olga Kurylenko
Izabella Scorupco
Melinda Clarke

Oh and about 100+ semi famous/unknown actresses in the world at the moment that could and would be better for the role instead of Scarlett.

Like others have already said, this is nothing but Marvel hiring eye candy to rack in more money. It is their "Abla/Sue Storm or Halle Berry/Storm".

And like I previously mentioned, Scarlett herself doesn't even have confidence in herself for these type of roles and self cofidence is exactly what is needed for a role like Black Widow.

This simply is not Black Widow material.

 

[HailtotheKing]

double post

 

[kedrell]

I'm calling it now. If Madame Masque is in IM3, Blunt would be a great choice.

 

[FaT_tONle]

Jovovich is up there... certainly can't play the character for another 8 years without some wear and tear... Olga??? She's a Bond girl... nothing more... nothing less. Not very impressive IMO. Izabella is old. I don't know much about Melinda Clarke... I will look her up but she probably fits a similar description to the other three I am betting. Again, I wanted Blunt for the role... but Scar Jo isn't a HUGE downgrade. I would have preferred an unknown though. Scarlett may grow out of the character like Halle did with Storm if she becomes too big a name sooner than later.

 

[HailtotheKing]

So I guess Jackson, who is 61 (nearly twice Jovovich's age) is going to die before he completes his 9 picture deal with Marvel...I mean what with him being so old right. He could never handle "wear and tear".

 

[Crook]

I'm sure anyone I say you'll just say "uninspired" or that they aren't good enough even though you think an a short, slightly pudgy average actress like Scarlett is capable enough of playing such an sexy, dangerous, intensely physical character.

Unless you think of yourself as some casting genius, then I highly doubt you'd be able to come up with inspired choices for this role. But let's see...

But to humor you here are some that instantly come to mind.

Milla Jovovich
Olga Kurylenko
Izabella Scorupco
Melinda Clarke

...yes, I was right. 3 previous red-heads, 0 accomplished actresses, 4 attractive ladies. My god, SO inspiring.

But hell, don't let me bring these casting choices down. I'd like for you to explain how you have disproved my original statement. Casting this role amongst the young Female Hollywood, is very limited. You can't simply count any young female that's an "actress", simply because they neither have the experience nor the clout to even get an audition for this role. It's incredibly improbable to vie for a girl that isn't in the public eye.

Oh and about 100+ semi famous/unknown actresses in the world at the moment that could and would be better for the role instead of Scarlett.

You know damn well that's a cheap way of looking at things. Yes, there are hundreds of actors out there that would die for this role, and there's a good chance there's someone out there BORN for it. But do you know? Have you seen them? You can barely list 5 good candidates, I'm to expect that there are 100+ more?

Like others have already said, this is nothing but Marvel hiring eye candy to rack in more money. It is their "Abla/Sue Storm or Halle Berry/Storm".

This is far from Alba, because Scarlett can act. Whether this is a Halle situation, we will have to wait.

And like I previously mentioned, Scarlett herself doesn't even have confidence in herself for these type of roles and self cofidence is exactly what is needed for a role like Black Widow.

Apparently she had self-confidence to test for this role, and accept it when a contract was offered. The rest is up to acting.

 

[DJ Kornphlake]

So people are complaining about Scarlett only being cast to be eye candy, and then suggesting Olga Kurylenko for the role instead?

 

[Ironfan72]

I have alot of faith in Favreau, he seems to be capible of getting very good performances for his stars, plus Scarlett will be surround by the most talented cast she has ever been associated with, actors like Robert Downey, Jr. Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Mickey Rourke, Sam Jackson and Sam Rockwell can only help her performance, IMO.

 

[Majik1387]

I don't care what any of you naysayers say, Jovovich is an accomplished actress. Stop harping on her blockbusters and take a look at her lesser known films like Dummy and .45

And in The Fifth Element, she definitely was believable as Leeloo as opposed to people thinking its just Milla with neon orange hair. And if you do remain stuck on her blockbusters, you'd notice that the problems with her was never her acting, it was what she was given to work with.

Visually, she's pretty much exactly what Black Widow should look like, she even has the fighting skills and experience for the role.

She may be a former model turned actress, but she's shown a lot more ambition and dedication to her roles than most actresses today.