Emily Blunt has broken her silence over losing the role of Black Widow to Scarlett Johansson – and a part in the multi-billion dollar Avenger film franchise.
The 38-year-old British actress is said to have turned down the chance to play Natasha Romanoff in 2010’s Iron Man 2.
The role went to 36-year-old American actress Scarlett who has since plays the role nine times – including the upcoming Black Widow solo film feature.
Emily says she was “obsessed” with Iron Man when the chance to play Natasha, aka Black Widow, came up – with director Jon Faverau said to have picked the British star as his first choice to play the role.
But Emily was already filming Jack Black comedy Gulliver’s Travels – which was met with hostile reviews upon release in 2010 and bombed at the box office.
Discussing her choice to play Princess Mary in Gulliver’s Travels rather than Black Widow in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Emily told The Sun on Sunday: “I actually do want to clean up the story.
“I was contracted to do Gulliver’s Travels. I didn’t want to do it. I take such pride in the decisions I make.”
She continued: “I don’t know if superhero movies are for me. They’re not up my alley. I don’t like them – I really don’t.
“It’s not that it’s beneath me. I love Iron Man and when I got offered Black Widow I was obsessed with Iron Man.”
Scarlett is said to have earned £50 million after playing the role of Black Widow in Iron Man 2, Avengers Assemble, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Avenger Age of Ultron, Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War, Captain Marvel, Avengers: Endgame and Black Widow.
Emily has, however, given Marvel fans some hope that she might one day agree to play a hero.
She said: “That is not to say I’d never want to play one . . . but it would have to be something so cool. I don’t race to see superhero movies. Maybe because they leave me feeling a bit cold.
“I cannot explain it. I cannot get in there.”
Marvel fans have lately been petitioning film boss Kevin Feige to cast Emily as Sue Storm in the forthcoming Fantastic Four film – which is yet to be given a release date.
While Emily’s real-life husband, John Krasinski, is the fan favourite to play Reed Richards, aka Mr Fantastic, in the same film.
