Five female filmmakers we’d love to see direct Marvel’s ‘Black Widow’ movie
News on Marvel’s Black Widow film had cooled slightly since earlier this year, leaving us wondering whether the damn thing would ever actually get made. Of course, this all changed last month when it was announced the film is going ahead and there are already a number of female directors who are being considered to make it. According to Deadline, Cate Shortland is reportedly the favorite to direct the film, with Kimberly Peirce, Amma Asante, and Maggie Betts also in the running.
While these are all tidy options, we’ve got a fair few fierce female filmmakers (solid alliteration right there) who we think could land a knockout with the Black Widow movie if given a chance. Here’s our ranking of the seven female filmmakers we’d most like to see direct the Black Widow movie.
5. Chloé Zhao
Chloé Zhao was considered for the Black Widow director chair in 2018 but stepped away because her schedule with Nomadland would not line up. She later took the reins on Eternals in 2021, bringing her signature grounded approach to a cosmic ensemble. Her 2025 film Hamnet premiered to strong reviews and earned the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture – Drama, confirming her range across intimate dramas and large-scale studio pictures.
The Evolution of Female Directors in the MCU
Since the 2018 director search for Black Widow, Marvel has steadily expanded the number of women behind the camera. Anna Boden co-directed Captain Marvel in 2019, Chloé Zhao directed Eternals in 2021, and Nia DaCosta directed The Marvels in 2023. Other women have directed comic-based films such as Venom: The Last Dance. The pattern shows a deliberate widening of the talent pool rather than a single headline hire.
Chloé Zhao’s Path from Black Widow Consideration to Eternals and Beyond
Zhao met with Marvel during the Black Widow search but chose to focus on Nomadland first. That decision opened the door to Eternals, where her location-first shooting style shaped the film’s tone. Hamnet followed in 2025 and collected major awards recognition, including the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture – Drama. Her trajectory shows how one meeting can lead to different projects while still keeping the filmmaker in the studio ecosystem.
Black Widow’s Legacy and Yelena Belova’s Continuation
The 2021 film explored Natasha’s past and introduced Yelena Belova as a clear successor. Florence Pugh’s character has since appeared in subsequent MCU projects including Thunderbolts*. No official Black Widow sequel has been announced as of 2026, which leaves Yelena as the primary carrier of the franchise’s momentum.
2026 Black Widow Design and Cameo Updates
Marvel Studios revealed a new Black Widow design in July 2026 that accompanied her on-screen return in 2026 projects. The update keeps the character visually current even without a new solo film, and the design has already appeared in promotional materials tied to those appearances.
The original 2018 speculation now reads as a snapshot of a specific moment when Marvel first signaled it would open the director’s chair to women for its solo female-led project. Cate Shortland ultimately directed the finished film, and the conversation has moved forward to questions of sequels, spin-offs, and how the character’s visual language continues to evolve in other entries. The focus on female filmmakers remains relevant because the pipeline those early shortlists helped create is still feeding into current productions.
seven female filmmakers we’d most like to see direct the Black Widow movie
