Her tenure in the role began with her debut in the 2010 film Iron Man 2 and concluded with the solo prequel film Black Widow in 2021.
| Role | Natasha Romanoff / Black Widow |
| MCU Debut Film | Iron Man 2 (2010) |
| Total MCU Appearances | 9 films |
| Upfront Salary (Black Widow) | $20 million |
| Reported Lawsuit Settlement | Over $40 million |
| Actress Age | 41 years old (as of 2026) |
| Height | 160 cm |
Scarlett Johansson, who is 41 years old as of 2026, made her debut as Natasha Romanoff / Black Widow in the 2010 Marvel Cinematic Universe film Iron Man 2. The casting came about after Emily Blunt was forced to turn down the role due to a contractual obligation with 20th Century Fox to film Gulliver's Travels. Johansson's portrayal of the highly skilled spy quickly became a cornerstone of the franchise, leading to her inclusion in the core superhero team for The Avengers in 2012. Her performance helped establish Black Widow as a central figure in the franchise's early phases.
Over more than a decade, Johansson appeared as Black Widow in nine MCU films. Following her introduction in Iron Man 2 and The Avengers, she reprised the role in Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014), Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), and Captain America: Civil War (2016). She continued her run in the massive crossover event Avengers: Infinity War (2018), made a brief appearance in the mid-credits scene of Captain Marvel (2019), and played a pivotal role in Avengers: Endgame (2019). Her journey culminated in the 2021 prequel solo film, Black Widow, which explored the character's origin story and resolved her narrative arc.
The release of the solo Black Widow film in July 2021 marked a significant moment in the film industry due to its hybrid distribution model. The movie grossed over $379 million at the global box office. Additionally, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Disney released the film simultaneously on its streaming platform, Disney+, via Premier Access for a purchase price of $29.99. By mid-August 2021, this digital release had generated an additional $125 million in digital sales, demonstrating the changing landscape of film distribution during that period.
This hybrid release strategy led to a high-profile legal dispute. In July 2021, Johansson filed a lawsuit against Disney in Los Angeles Superior Court, alleging that the simultaneous streaming release breached her contract, which guaranteed an exclusive theatrical window. Disney responded publicly by disclosing her upfront salary of $20 million and criticizing the lawsuit for showing a "callous disregard" for the pandemic's global effects. The legal battle ended in September 2021 when both parties settled out of court, with reports indicating that Disney agreed to pay Johansson a settlement amount exceeding $40 million.
