Why Black Widow Replaced Tony Stark’s Cameo With Ross

Warning: SPOILERS for Black Widow.

Secretary Ross (William Hurt) chases Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson) in Black Widow but an early version of the screenplay had a cameo by Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr). Black Widow is set during the end of and after Captain America: Civil War and the Sokovia Accords, and originally, Tony Stark was intended to appear to establish Black Widow’s place in the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s timeline. However, the final version of the film sees Stark nowhere to be found and Ross is the one hunting Natasha.

In Captain America: Civil War, Natasha originally sided with Team Iron Man and was for the Avengers signing the Sokovia Accords. Romanoff “read the terrain” of how the world was politically turning on the Avengers and she concluded that voluntarily submitting to the Accords was the safer bet because “With one hand on the wheel we can still steer”. Natasha then told Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) at Peggy Carter’s (Hayley Atwell) funeral that the Avengers “staying together is more important than how we stay together.” But after the Avengers battled at the Berlin Airport, Romanoff realized the folly of the heroes fighting each other and she turned on Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman) to help Captain America and the Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan) escape. After a confrontation with Tony Stark, Natasha went on the run, which is where Black Widow picks up.

Speaking to ComicBook.com, Black Widow co-writer Eric Pearson recalled an early draft of the screenplay (prior to his involvement) that “literally had written into it ‘The end moment of Civil War with Tony and Natasha,’ but it was old footage.” According to Pearson, Tony Stark’s Black Widow cameo would have been repurposed footage from Captain America: Civil War of Tony and Natasha’s final argument before she became a fugitive, and it was solely meant to remind audiences that Black Widow takes place right after Civil War. This lines up with Robert Downey Jr.’s comments during Black Widow‘s production in 2019 that he’s not involved in the film and his surprise at hearing Tony Stark was going to appear. Iron Man in Black Widow was an early stages idea that wouldn’t even have required Downey to shoot new footage and it was cut anyway.

Instead, Secretary Ross was used as the character who bridges Black Widow and Civil War and that makes more sense. Since his introduction in The Incredible Hulk, Ross was always an antagonist in the MCU, and his comeback in Captain America: Civil War established Ross as the new Secretary of State who was, at best, grudgingly tolerant of the Avengers. Ross was the natural fit as the enforcer of the repressive Sokovia Accords hunting Natasha.

Even if Tony Stark was ever considered for that role, Iron Man was emotionally spent from his ordeal in Civil War and he likely wouldn’t have done Ross’ bidding and hunted another Avenger, even though Tony and Natasha hadn’t really been friendly because Stark always resented that she posed as Natalie Rushman from Stark Industries Legal and spied on him for S.H.I.E.L.D. in Iron Man 2. After Avengers: Age of Ultron, Stark stepped back from his more active leadership role in the Avengers to allow Steve Rogers and Natasha to lead the superteam and he only took back control after Captain America and Black Widow became fugitives.

It seems like, at most, the plan was for a Tony Stark cameo to merely set the stage for Black Widow but the filmmakers wisely deemed it wasn’t necessary. This includes Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige vetoing Avengers cameos because Natasha “doesn’t need the boys” and it was much more important that her solo film both established her as its center while it introduced new characters like Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), who has an important role to play in the MCU’s future. The final cut of Black Widow made when the film was taking place perfectly clear, thanks to Secretary Ross’ role, and it’s understood that Tony Stark was out there in the world but he had no real place in Natasha Romanoff’s story.

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