Over the years, Emily Blunt has been known for her roles in films like A Quiet Place, The Devil Wears Prada, Fall Guy, Pain Hustlers, and more. However, back in 2009, the actress had a chance to join the MCU in a role she almost played but lost to another Hollywood star.
Although Blunt would have loved to join the superhero-verse as Black Widow, it was a dream that never ended up being realized. After all, due to scheduling conflicts, Scarlett Johansson was eventually given the role.
It might be hard to imagine anyone other than Johansson playing the superspy now. However, years after the miss, Blunt ended up revealing why she had to pass on the iconic role.
Why Emily Blunt turned down Scarlett Johansson’s iconic role
Emily Blunt was initially set to appear as Black Widow in 2010’s Iron Man 2, the movie that introduced the character to the MCU. However, despite being eager to take on the role and even being cast, she was forced to give it up for another project.
In an interview with Howard Stern, the 41-year-old decided to set the record straight on why she passed on the role that eventually went to Scarlett Johansson.
I actually do want to clean up the story. I was contracted to do Gulliver’s Travels. I didn’t want to do Gulliver’s Travels. It was a bit of a heartbreaker for me.
Although Blunt had wanted to take on the role of Natasha Romanoff, she explained she was contractually obligated to an “optional picture deal” with 20th Century Fox. The actress also admitted that it broke her heart to give up the role. Blunt explained, “I take such pride in the decisions that I make, and they mean so much to me, the films that I do.”
In another interview with Howard Stern, Blunt was asked whether she believed superhero films were beneath her. The actress explained, “It’s not that it’s beneath me. It’s not. I loved Iron Man, and I wanted to work with Robert Downey Jr.” However, it just wasn’t meant to be.
The whole ordeal might have been a letdown for Blunt. But it ended up giving the world Johansson her most iconic role yet.
Scarlett Johansson recalls almost losing out Black Widow to Emily Blunt
Scarlett Johansson might be a fan-favorite Avenger now. However, back in 2010, when the role of Black Widow first made it to the big screen, the actress had her own doubts about it. After all, she had not been the first choice for the role, and it had messed with her confidence.
In an interview with BBC 1, via ScreenRant, Johansson opened up about how she felt losing out on the iconic MCU role to Emily Blunt.
![Scarlett Johansson in the MCU as Natasha Romanoff aka Black Widow [Credit Marvel Studios]](https://fwmedia.fandomwire.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/08082253/Scarlett-Johansson-in-the-MCU-as-Natasha-Romanoff-aka-Black-Widow-Credit-Marvel-Studios-1024x683.jpeg "Emily Blunt: ‘It was a bit of a heartbreaker for me’ on Losing 1 Role to Scarlett Johansson That She Was Originally Chosen For 4")
I was a big fan of the first Iron Man. And I wanted to work with Jon [Favreau] and Robert [Downey Jr.] and then I did not get the role and I was pretty bummed about that, happens all the time.
Luckily for Johansson, just a few short weeks later, her luck changed. The 39-year-old explained, “So, Jon called me and we met again and I said, ‘Yes, I’m extremely available still.” Although it did not seem like a huge deal at the time, her availability paved the way for the actress to take on the beloved role.
While Johansson never expected to get a callback after Blunt’s casting, her dreams of working with Jon Favreau thankfully ended up coming true.
Although it hasn’t been the easiest ride as Black Widow, given Disney’s breach of contract in 2021, Johansson ended up coming out on the other side and even got a $20 million payday for her streaming troubles.
Stream Scarlett Johansson’s Black Widow on Disney+
