BLACK WIDOW: Disney Not Expected To Announce Surprise Streaming Debut During Super Bowl

Despite speculation that Black Widow might be heading to Disney+, a new report claims that we shouldn't get our hopes up when it comes to a surprise announcement to that effect during the Super Bowl.

By JoshWilding - Feb 03, 2021 04:02 AM EST

Filed Under: Black Widow

Black Widow was supposed to be released in theaters last May, and you don't need us to explain why that didn't happen. The Marvel Studios movie was then pushed back to November, and when it became clear that wasn't going to work out either, it was shifted to this May.

We're certainly hoping that this date sticks, but there are no guarantees, and many fans are keeping everything crossed that Black Widow will be released via Disney+'s "Premier Access" service. We've heard conflicting reports about whether that will happen, with the consensus being that the studio would rather delay the movie again than have it debut on the streaming service.

In a piece from Deadline about upcoming Super Bowl TV spots, it's noted: "[COVID] or not, Black Widow may get delayed. I hear there won’t be any surprises during Super Bowl about Black Widow jettisoning to Disney+.".

Under normal circumstances, Black Widow likely would have earned upwards of $1 billion at the box office, so it makes sense that Disney is reluctant to charge $29.99 for the movie on its streaming platform. Mulan seemingly didn't make too much of an impact being sold that way, though it might have been an interesting experiment to see how a streaming debut would differ with a Marvel Studios title!

Time will tell whether Black Widow gets a TV spot during the Super Bowl, and whether it ultimately meets that May release date, but it's looking like it will be the big screen or nothing for this one.

Click the "Next" button below to check out 10 Marvel
and DC characters who didn't debut in the comics!

10. X-23

Laura Kinney debuted in the short-lived X-Men: Evolution in 2003, and was created by writer Craig Kyle.

Just one year later, she appeared in the NYX comic book series, while Kyle and Christopher Yost would later script X-23: Innocence Lost, a six-issue miniseries detailing the character's origin in the Marvel Universe. Wolverine's clone then became part of the core franchise with Uncanny X-Men #450, and her popularity has continued to grow.

Since then, X-23 has even taken over the mantle of Wolverine, and made her live-action debut in James Mangold's Logan where she was played by Dafne Keen.

As you'll soon learn, many great female comic book characters were created for television.

9. The Wonder Twins

Despite being two of DC's goofier heroes, the Wonder Twins have plenty of fans.

They've made only sporadic appearances in the comic books in recent years, though were made an official part of DC Universe continuity in 2019. They've since shown up in titles like Action Comics and Young Justice, but may be best known for their television appearances.

If they had an IMDB page, it would make for impressive reading as they've been spotted in everything from Justice League Unlimited to The Flash.

That's appropriate as their debut came in the Hanna-Barbera cartoon, The All-New Superhero Hour, in the 1970s.

8. Jimmy Olsen

Superman's best pal, Jimmy Olsen has become a mainstay of the Man of Steel's adventures. Well, unless you're Zack Snyder and turn him into a C.I.A. agent who gets shot in the head after five minutes of screentime!

Despite having a history which stretches back to some of Superman's earliest stories, Olsen's origins are rooted in the radio show, The Adventures of Superman on April 15, 1940 in the episode "Donelli's Protection Racket." Shortly after, Jimmy made the leap to the page in Superman #13.

The character also made an anonymous cameo in Action Comics #6, and while that predates the radio show, he wasn't given a personality until he "debuted" there.

Without that, Supes would be without one of his closest allies.

7. H.E.R.B.I.E

Conceived for The New Fantastic Four animated series in the late 1970s, H.E.R.B.I.E. unbelievably replaced the Human Torch in that show when rights issues surrounding the Human Torch left him on the shelf.

Mister Fantastic, Invisible Woman, The Thing, and H.E.R.B.I.E. doesn't quite have the same right to it, huh?

It was Stan Lee who pitched replacing the Torch with a robot, and Uncanny X-Men artist Dave Cockrum was assigned to design him. When he dropped out, Jack Kirby took over, and that ended up being his final work for Marvel Comics. In 1979, H.E.R.B.I.E. made his comic book debut in Fantastic Four #209.

He's since become a fan-favourite, and retained that classic Kirby-inspired appearance.

6. Mercy Graves

In the early days of Marvel and DC, most female characters were love interests or damsels in distress. It's no wonder than that so many of the great ones have debuted elsewhere.

Superman: The Animated Series isn't quite as fondly remembered as Batman: The Animated Series, but it gave us Mercy Graves, Lex Luthor's formidable bodyguard and chauffeur. Her first comic book appearance came that same year in the pages of Superman Adventures #1.

She's since been key to many of the Man of Steel's adventures involving Luthor, and has most memorably appeared in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and The CW's Supergirl.

Mercy most recently appeared in Titans where she was played by Natalie Gumede.

5. Batman Beyond

Stick the Batman logo on anything, and it will probably be a hit.

However, there's something special about Terry McGinnis. Introduced as a means of picking up where Batman: The Animated Series left off, the Batman Beyond only ran from 1999 to 2001, and was put on hold for Warner Bros. Animation to instead focus on the Justice League animated series.

Despite a lukewarm reception at the time, the show would go on to gain a cult following, and found his way into the comics the same year his show debuted.

He's since appeared across the DC Universe on multiple occasions, including in a recent follow-up to the TV show which ran between 2016 - 2020. We're not fully sure why he's yet to appear in live-action, though.

4. Nova Fries

Batman fans have a lot of reasons to be grateful for Batman: The Animated Series, and it deserves a lot of credit for transforming Mr. Freeze into the complex villain we know and hate today.

Used in the show to explain Freeze's evil nature, the character was even used in the Batman & Robin film, and has been seen in both Gotham and CWVerse crossover event Elseworlds. Nora has also factored into all recent retellings of Freeze's origin in the comics (and Arkham computer games).

Her first comic appearance came in Batman: Mr. Freeze in 1997.

She's been through a lot since then including, believe it or not, becoming Mrs. Freeze last year!

3. Agent Coulson

Clark Gregg first played Agent Coulson in 2008's Iron Man where he was included only to tease the existence of S.H.I.E.L.D. and set the stage for that memorable stinger introducing Samuel L. Jackson's Nick Fury.

Despite not having any roots in the comics, he became an integral part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and it really stung when he died at the hands of Loki in Marvel's The Avengers. Marvel Television resurrected him for seven seasons of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. on ABC, however.

He first showed up as Cheese in 2011's Battle Scars #1, and was revealed as Phil Coulson in issue #6.

The comic book version didn't really resonate with fans, but Coulson remains a major fan-favorite online.

2. Firestar

Debuting in 1981 on the NBC animated television series, Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends as Fire-Star, the character's popularity meant it wasn't long before she was added to the comics.

Funnily enough, her debut came in Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends #1, but Firestar is now better known for her mutant background. Since being introduced, she's been an Avenger, an X-Men, and even a member of the New Warriors.

Firestar's association with Spider-Man is why she's so fondly remembered, however, and it would be undeniably spectacular to see them once day share the screen.

It's even rumored that Firestar is going to be brought to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

1. Harley Quinn

Now one of DC's most popular characters in any medium, Harley Quinn has grown to become so much more than just The Joker's accomplice and bit on the side!

Introduced in Batman: The Animated Series episode "Joker's Favor," the Maiden of Mischief immediately resonated with fans thanks to her complex origin story, unique appearance and demeanour, and the incredible work of Paul Dini and Bruce Timm.

Harley made the leap to comics in 1993 in The Batman Adventures #12.

Since becoming more of an anti-hero than villain, Harley's popularity has, in some ways, eclipsed that of The Joker, and she's proof that not every classic character has to debut in the comics.

BLACK WIDOW Star Scarlett Johansson's Mystery Marvel Producing Project Is Reportedly A Disney+ TV Series

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41 Comments

1 2

AC1 - 2/3/2021, 4:40 AM

"Not expected"
Isn't that the definition of a surprise? 🤔

BLACK WIDOW ON DISNEY PLUS CONFIRMED! 🤯

TheUnworthyThor - 2/3/2021, 4:43 AM

JFerguson - 2/3/2021, 4:47 AM

Marketing budget is gonna get these execs pissed, but please wait a little longer to release.

KWilly - 2/3/2021, 4:48 AM

This is gonna go down as the "Lost Marvel movie" lol. I constantly forget this thing even exists.

dragon316 - 2/3/2021, 6:20 AM

@KWilly - same here and other movies Morbius venom top gun river movie looks fun watch with rock I’m forgetting these movies every day

Mrcool210 - 2/3/2021, 4:59 AM

Yes that's what surprise means...

Blergh - 2/3/2021, 5:01 AM

I mean, I would love if they surprise dropped the movie on D+ after the super-blowl like Netflix did with "The Cloverfield Paradox" but I doubt it

DiegoMD - 2/3/2021, 5:18 AM

They're just too headstrong at this point. I get that they want costumers to have the "cinematic experience" but as things seem to be at the moment, things won´t be much better in May. Personally I'd prefer if they just drop it already than is they keep delaying it indefinetely.

Pigdango - 2/3/2021, 5:20 AM

7 day moving average of new cases in the US is almost half what it was just three weeks ago. Marketing for a movie like this usually runs on an 8 week cycle, so they've got another month or so to decide, but things are definitely moving in the right direction. No reason whatsoever to go to streaming at this point. If there's a delay it will probably be just a few weeks. Like Memorial Day instead of first weekend in May.

Urubrodi - 2/3/2021, 5:22 AM

When Black Widow finally gets her own movie, after years of wait and been killed off, the movie can't be released... She doesn't have much luck

Boyle360 - 2/3/2021, 7:00 AM

@Urubrodi - Still rubs me the wrong way that they give her a prequel after she's already died in the main continuity. A prequel releasing before the movie she dies in would have been waaaayyyy more impactful.

Urubrodi - 2/3/2021, 7:46 AM

@Boyle360 - I do agree that it's an odd move. Normally prequels are done to get you more invested in a certain character. But in this case the character is already dead. I guess the plan is to use the movie to give her a proper sendoff and present her replacement, but I get your point.

TheUnworthyThor - 2/3/2021, 5:24 AM

There’s just no benefit to putting it on Disney+. They already have all the Marvel content they need pretty much for the whole year. They are already getting the subscribers. Unless they need to release it at a certain point in the story before one of the shows is released then I just seeing them releasing it in May or delaying it slightly to a date they think is better. Otherwise they are just burning money. Black Widow is eventually going to wind up on Disney+ anyway. They can try to make a few bucks.

regularmovieguy - 2/3/2021, 6:06 AM

@TheUnworthyThor

If it goes to D+ they will almost 100% premium surcharge it like Mulan and Raya. And it would do better than both.

TheUnworthyThor - 2/3/2021, 6:29 AM

@regularmovieguy - Maybe. They want to see how Raya does, I just don’t think they are in a hurry to make a decision, they can afford to be flexible. It won’t bother me much if that’s the way they go, all the theaters near me are open so I can make my own decision on how to see it, but if Raya makes peanuts on premium then I can see the not wanting to bother with it anymore.

LameLuka - 2/3/2021, 5:25 AM

Just keep pushing it. Its not like D+ is desperate for new content to boost their subscriber numbers

WeaponXCII - 2/3/2021, 5:25 AM

“[I]t’s looking like it will be the big screen or nothing for this one.“

What? Marvel isn’t going to just not release the movie. There’s no “or” in this equation.

Dredd97 - 2/3/2021, 6:50 AM

I don't think this will ever see a streaming release until way after a theatrical one. They've kept it off this long, why do it now?

Beartastic25 - 2/3/2021, 7:59 AM

Sooo is this when we find out the movie got moved to october of 2030? -.-

1 2

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10. X-23

9. The Wonder Twins

8. Jimmy Olsen

7. H.E.R.B.I.E

6. Mercy Graves

5. Batman Beyond

4. Nova Fries

3. Agent Coulson

2. Firestar

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