Aside from The Incredible Hulk, there hasn't been a single standalone Marvel Studios movie. They've all had sequels (or will be getting one soon), and the only reason the Green Goliath's story has played out in other franchises is because of pesky rights issues with Universal Pictures.
Black Widow could change that, though. Set between the events of Captain America: Civil War and Avengers: Infinity War, the movie will pick up with Natasha Romanoff after she broke the Sokovia Accords and went on the run, and before she met up with Steve Rogers and his Secret Avengers. We know how the hero's story ended in Avengers: Endgame, but could there be a Black Widow 2?
WandaVision showrunner Jac Schaeffer was recently asked that very question; she worked on an early version of the screenplay, and has a "Story by" credit on the movie alongside Ned Benson. However, it's Eric Pearson who has received the sole screenplay credit on the Marvel Studios spinoff.
"Well, you know I was lucky enough to jump on board the Black Widow train when it first left the station, and then I moved on to WandaVision and several other very talented writers picked up the pen and continued on," Schaeffer explained in an interview with ComicBook.com. "So, I can't actually speak to the totality of Black Widow other than to say I'm so excited for it to come out."
This is the expected response, and if the Black Widow franchise is going to continue in any way, it will be with Florence Pugh's Yelena Belova, as Scarlett Johansson is likely done with the role now.
Which Marvel and DC villains have managed to kill
their superhero rivals? Hit the "Next" button to find out!
10. Doctor Doom
The panel above might show Reed Richards killing his best friend, but this was entirely Doctor Doom's fault. Using his mastery over magic to inhabit the body of Ben Grimm, "The Thing" threatened to go on rampage, and held the Human Torch by the throat.
Doom's message was a simple one: kill Ben or watch as he murders Johnny and countless others.
Mister Fantastic had no other choice than to gun down his oldest ally, and this was a definitive death for the iconic hero who hails from Yancy Street. In fact, he was only resurrected after the team travelled to Heaven, met God, and brought Ben back to Earth.
Doom has killed many people, but this was one of his most heinous acts.
9. Bastion
"No More Mutants."
That's what the Scarlet Witch said when she wiped out most of Earth's mutant population in House of M. The emergence of Hope Summers marked the dawn of a new era for those with an X-Gene, but many anti-mutant villains decided they needed to put an end to that before it could get started.
The Sentinel Bastion was among them, and just as he was about to strike Hope down, Nightcrawler teleported between them and took the killing blow himself.
Coincidentally, the only way he could be brought back from the dead was also to be pulled from Heaven.
8. Red Skull
In one possible future for the Marvel Universe, Earth's villains pooled their resources, teamed up, and decimated the world's heroes with relative ease.
With Washington D.C. burning, the Red Skull approached a mortally wounded Captain America (Bucky Barnes, not Steve Rogers) and proceeded to gouge his eyes out, killing Cap in the process. It was a violent end for the patriotic hero, and one that the Red Skull took great delight in.
Years later, the deranged baddie - now President and donning Cap's costume - got his comeuppance at the hands of Old Man Logan, who used his old friend's shield to behead the Red Skull and end him.
7. Daken
During Norman Osborn's Dark Reign, Daken, Logan's son, became the new Wolverine.
Sent to deal with The Punisher, Daken didn't hold back, and overpowered Frank Castle with ease. Behind the weaponry, Frank is just a man, and whereas the likes of Captain America and Spider-Man have held back while fighting him, Daken had no qualms about slicing him down.
In one of Marvel's bloodiest non-MAX branded comics, "Wolverine" sliced his limbs off, and ultimately beheaded The Punisher, leaving him little more than a pile of body parts.
Frank was resurrected as Franken-Castle, but later returned in his human form.
6. HYDRA
Rick Jones was there the day Bruce Banner was transformed into the Incredible Hulk, and later served as the new Bucky alongside Captain America.
A close bond was formed, and during the Marvel Universe's early days, Rick regularly worked with Cap, the Avengers, and even the original Captain Marvel. After the frequent sidekick resurfaced in Secret Empire, the HYDRA-brainwashed Captain America ("HYDRA-Cap") ordered Rick's execution after learning that he'd leaked the organization's secrets.
Placed in front of a firing squad, his death was a definitive one.
In many respects, Captain America was just as culpable for this death, and even now, many fans haven't come to terms with how Steve Rogers was portrayed during this period.
5. Sinestro
In the desolate Injustice timeline, Sinestro made short work of two of the greatest Green Lanterns.
With the Green Lantern Corps on Batman's side and the Sinestro Corps aligned with Superman, Sinestro offered John Stewart the chance to join him. While the conflicted hero weighed up his options, the villain wasted no time in literally stabbing him in the back.
Kyle Rayner fared even worse.
Unaware of the conflict playing out on his home planet, he was ambushed by the Sinestro Corps in space, had his ring taken, and was then drawn and quartered by the villains.
4. Green Goblin
In the regular Marvel Universe, Norman Osborn has never succeeded in killing Peter Parker.
He's certainly made Spider-Man's life a living hell, killing his girlfriend, making him think he's a clone, and generally tormenting the wall-crawler and those he's closest to. In the Ultimate Universe, however, the Green Goblin took advantage when a weakened Peter - who had been shot in a separate altercation saving Captain America - battled the Six.
Spidey beat the Goblin and his fellow villains, but the toll it took on him was too much, and he died in Mary Jane's arms. It was a shocking, tragic end, but one that led to the debut of Miles Morales.
He later returned, but the end of the Ultimate Universe now means he's gone for good.
3. Doomsday
One of the most famous deaths in the DC Universe's history came when the seemingly unstoppable Doomsday clashed with Superman in a fight that was among the most brutal ever seen.
In the middle of Metropolis, the Man of Steel did everything he could to counter his strongest foe. Managing to deliver a killing blow to Doomsday at the same time he took one, Superman stood victorious before dying in the arms of Lois Lane. The hero was gone, but not for too long.
DC Comics then embarked on a convoluted story which saw a number of different Supermen arrive, claiming to be the real deal. Kal-El was eventually revealed to be among them, but his death - while short-lived - sent shockwaves through the DC Universe.
2. Bullseye
Easily one of the most iconic moments in comic book history, the death of Elektra at the hands of Bullseye was a surprisingly violent, shocking end to the assassin's life.
The man who never misses took great delight in taking down his rival (becoming Wilson Fisk's top killer), and in her dying moments, Elektra managed to crawl to Matt Murdock's doorstep and take her last breath in his arms.
Cementing Bullseye as Daredevil's greatest foe alongside The Kingpin, this death is still referenced today.
Elektra soon made her return, and resurrections became something of a staple for her. That made this no less surprising, though, and it remains one of the all-time great comic book deaths.
1. Doctor Octopus
Doctor Octopus has always been one of Spider-Man's greatest enemies, but he cemented himself as perhaps the best of them all when he successfully managed to kill Peter Parker.
Much to the chagrin of fans, the dying Otto Octavius found a way to switch his mind with Peter's. The wall-crawler died in Doc Ock's failing body, while the villain became the new, Superior Spider-Man.
This proved to be a highly divisive run, but the true Spidey did eventually return when Ock realized Peter was a better man than him, and the only one capable of beating the Green Goblin.
It was a damp squib of an ending, but that initial death of Spider-Man still came as a legit shocker (even though it wasn't the first time he'd died in battle).