The MCU almost featured a number of deleted scenes featuring Black Widow that could have changed the trajectory of the whole franchise. After making her debut early in the MCU’s movie timeline, Black Widow went on to become one of the franchise’s most important heroes. Natasha Romanoff’s role in the MCU’s Infinity Saga as a founding Avenger was a major one, with later movies introducing other Black Widows with the potential to influence the MCU in a similar way.
Throughout Black Widow’s appearances in the movies of the MCU, there have been a number of deleted scenes involving the character. Had some of these scenes stayed in their respective movies, they could have potentially changed a great deal within the context of the franchise’s wider story. Though they were ultimately cut, these 10 Black Widow scenes could have changed the MCU if they had become a canonical part of the franchise.
10
Black Widow Uses Iron Man’s Repulsor Glove
Iron Man 2 (2010)
In keeping with the character’s background as a spy, Natasha Romanoff’s MCU debut saw her initially introduced under the alias Natalie Rushman. Hired as Pepper Potts’ ᴀssistant in Iron Man 2, Romanoff’s mission as Rushman was to ᴀssess Tony Stark’s eligibility for Nick Fury’s Avenger Initiative, which saw her get close to the hero. One deleted scene showed the pair getting much closer, with Romanoff testing out Iron Man’s repulsor glove under the guidance of a heavily intoxicated Tony Stark.
The way that the scene would have changed the MCU is subtle, as it concerns the way that it depicts the character of Tony Stark specifically. His reckless behavior in the scene endangers the lives of his guests, making him seem much less heroic and far more careless. It would have somewhat undermined his hero arc, albeit in a relatively minor way, making his whole MCU story weaker as a result.
9
Black Widow Reveals Her Past
Captain America: Civil War (2016)
Captain America: Civil War is undoubtedly one of the most significant solo movies in the entire MCU, and Black Widow’s supporting role in its story is hugely important. However, one extended scene put even more emphasis on Natasha Romanoff and her MCU story, and it actually would have hurt both the movie itself and the character’s wider narrative arc had it remained in the finished film. An extended version of Peggy Carter’s funeral scene featured Romanoff speaking about having been to Russia to find the graves of her parents.
Considering her solo movie later explored her backstory in more detail, having it fleshed out through a throwaway line in Captain America: Civil War would have been a needless and ultimately underwhelming tease.
The scene would have subtly shifted Black Widow’s own MCU story in a way that may have damaged her overall MCU character arc. Considering her solo movie later explored her backstory in more detail, having it fleshed out through a throwaway line in Captain America: Civil War would have been a needless and ultimately underwhelming tease. Additionally, the extended scene saw Romanoff detract from the moment’s significance for Steve, meaning it may also have hurt Captain America’s story in the MCU had it stayed in.
8
Black Widow And Hawkeye Get Rescued By Captain America
The Avengers (2012)
The MCU’s original Avengers featured an interesting mix of heroes, with some seeming to be far more powerful than their teammates. Though this has always been the case with the team, one deleted scene almost made that divide seem far worse. A scene cut from 2012’s The Avengers saw Black Widow and Hawkeye becoming overwhelmed by Chitauri during the Battle of New York, only for Captain America to drop into the fight and save them.
The scene would have changed the MCU’s depiction of two of its founding Avengers in a major way. Having Captain America so blatantly come to the rescue of his teammates made both Black Widow and Hawkeye look somewhat weak and subtextually established a hierarchy among the Avengers in their earliest appearance. Had the scene made it into the finished movie, it could have drastically altered the audience’s perception of both Black Widow and Hawkeye.
7
Natasha Surrenders To Thaddeus Ross
Black Widow (2021)
The ending of Black Widow was a bittersweet moment for the MCU, as it brought the character’s first and only solo movie to a close by referring back to her death in Avengers: Endgame. Though the movie, set before the events of Endgame, fleshed out Natasha Romanoff’s story, it also almost had a slightly different ending that could have changed how her whole character arc was perceived. The scene in question showed Romanoff surrendering to Thaddeus Ross and his forces, allowing herself to be arrested before escaping from custody almost immediately.
Had the scene stayed in the movie, it would have undermined some of Romanoff’s growth over her time in the MCU. Allowing herself to be arrested simply to taunt Ross comes off as decidedly petty, as well as being entirely unnecessary in terms of Black Widow’s story. The movie’s cut alternate ending would have been a far less satisfying conclusion to Black Widow’s MCU swan song, and would have had a subtle yet undeniable effect on her characterization.
6
The Avengers Preparing For The Battle Of Sokovia
Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
Avengers: Age of Ultron saw significant development in Black Widow’s character, with many aspects of her story established in the movie. She also featured in several deleted and alternate scenes, many of which could have potentially changed the MCU, though one incredibly brief deleted moment could have proved disastrous for the franchise. The scene in question sees the Avengers preparing for the Battle of Sokovia, with Natasha humorously querying whether Wanda Maximoff is wearing one of her jackets.
Had the scene stayed in the finished movie, it almost certainly would have proven controversial. The MCU has been criticized for its handling of female heroes, and Age of Ultron could have made that much worse by having one of the first interactions between two female Avengers being about clothing. Though clearly intended as a joke, the potentially divisive scene was ultimately deemed unnecessary and cut from the finished movie.
5
Ruth Bat-Seraph’s Alternate Backstory
Captain America: Brave New World (2025)
The cast of Captain America: Brave New World introduced several figures to the MCU’s canon, including Ruth Bat-Seraph. The movie’s version of the character was introduced as a former Black Widow, a departure from her typical comic book depiction. Originally, the movie reportedly intended to use a more comic-accurate version of the character, establishing her backstory as an Israeli Mossad agent.
The decision to cut that backstory in favor of making Bat-Seraph a former Black Widow avoided potential controversy. Had Brave New World kept her comic book story intact, the inclusion of a Mossad agent amid the real-world backdrop of the escalation of war between Israel and Palestine would have brought increased scrutiny to the movie and the character. The originally intended version of Ruth Bat-Seraph’s character being cut from the movie seems to have been a wise decision, as it could have changed the perception of the MCU movie had it remained in the film.
4
Natasha Hides From Hulk
The Avengers (2012)
Black Widow and Hulk’s MCU story was somewhat divisive when it came to their relationship within the franchise. The pair were first established as having a romantic connection in Avengers: Age of Ultron, although a deleted scene from 2012’s The Avengers could have made that far less likely. The scene, cut from Hulk’s helicarrier rampage, showed Natasha Romanoff hiding from her teammate as he laid waste to the SHIELD base after unexpectedly transforming.
Had the scene been kept in the movie, it would have been far less plausible to introduce the pair as having a romantic relationship in the next Avengers movie. Showing Natasha as being scared enough of the Hulk to hide from him would not only have made her seem a weaker hero, but it also wouldn’t have worked alongside her established ability to calm Hulk enough to transform him back into Banner. Had the scene actually become part of the MCU, it could have drastically changed the way that the two characters interacted in subsequent movies.
3
Battle On Vormir
Avengers: Endgame (2019)
Perhaps the most defining moment of Black Widow’s entire MCU story came in Avengers: Endgame, when she opted to make a heroic sacrifice for the greater good. The scene in which Natasha Romanoff gives her life to obtain the Soul Stone for her fellow Avengers was almost very different, as an alternate sequence was also sH๏τ. That scene saw Thanos’s forces catch up to Hawkeye and Black Widow on Vormir, attacking them shortly before Black Widow’s heroic death.
If the scene had stayed in the movie, it would have recontextualized Black Widow’s ending for the worse. The addition of a battle only served to add a sense of increased urgency to the scene that detracted from the heroic decision Romanoff made. Giving Black Widow a little extra time to consider the implications of her choice only served to make her death that much more heroic, meaning that the scene would likely have hurt her poignant yet tragic ending.
2
Natasha & Bruce Banner’s Extended Conversation
Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
The decision to establish a relationship between Bruce Banner and Natasha Romanoff in Avengers: Age of Ultron was a controversial one, but it was almost much worse. An extended scene that was cut from the movie featured a much longer conversation between the pair at Clint Barton’s homestead, and it almost hurt Natasha Romanoff’s hero story in a major way. The scene saw the pair sharing a tender moment, with Romanoff suggesting that they simply run away together and leave their responsibilities behind.
The scene would have done more than just deepen the relationship between Banner and Romanoff: it would have hurt the latter’s character arc. Establishing that she would be willing to abandon her teammates and the civilians relying on her would have painted her in a far worse light. What’s more, having the MCU’s first female Avenger be willing to give up her hero career for a relationship would have carried some unfortunate subtext that would have changed the overall perception of the character.
1
Black Widow Meets Smart Hulk
Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
There were many scenes that were cut from Avengers: Infinity War during various stages of its production, and one in particular featuring Black Widow would have changed the MCU’s handling of a major character. The scene saw Natasha Romanoff arrive in Wakanda to battle Thanos’s forces only to meet the Hulk, who she discovered had been able to retain Banner’s persona inside the Hulk’s body. The scene would have been the first appearance of the Smart Hulk persona which ultimately debuted in Avengers: Endgame.
Had the scene made it into the finished movie, it would have handled Hulk’s MCU story differently. Though Endgame’s unceremonious Smart Hulk reveal was criticized, having him debut shortly before the ending of Infinity War would have been worse. It would ᴀssign even less importance to Hulk’s major transformation, making it one of the most obvious examples of a deleted scene featuring Black Widow that could have changed the MCU.
Marvel Cinematic Universe
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Kevin Feige
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Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Samuel L. Jackson, Jeremy Renner, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Edward Norton, Paul Rudd, Tom Holland, Tom Hiddleston, Anthony Mackie, Cobie Smulders, Brie Larson, Chadwick Boseman, Sebastian Stan, Chris Pratt, Dave Bautista, Zoe Saldana, Bradley Cooper, Vin Diesel, Pom Klementieff, Josh Brolin, Karen Gillan, Clark Gregg, Paul Bettany, Don Cheadle, Benedict Cumberbatch, Evangeline Lilly, Simu Liu, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Angelina Jolie, Kit Harington, Salma Hayek, Richard Madden, Barry Keoghan, Gemma Chan, Ma Dong-seok, Brian Tyree Henry, Kumail Nanjiani, Lauren Ridloff, Lia McHugh, Jonathan Majors
- First Film
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Iron Man
- Upcoming Films
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ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool & Wolverine, Captain America: Brave New World, Thunderbolts*, Blade (2025), The Fantastic Four: First Steps, Avengers: Doomsday (2026), Avengers: Secret Wars
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Upcoming MCU Movies
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Thunderbolts*
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May 2, 2025
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The Fantastic Four: First Steps
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July 25, 2025
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Avengers: Doomsday (2026)
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Spider-Man: Brand New Day
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July 31, 2026
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Avengers: Secret Wars
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May 7, 2027
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