Emily Blunt Reveals What Iconic Marvel Role She Missed That Made Rival Actress $80 Million Saying ‘The Best Girl Got It’
Emily Blunt has revealed that she was originally offered the role of Black Widow in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, a character made famous by Scarlett Johansson.
The British actress, 40, discussed missing out on the chance to play the super spy on the Happy Sad Confused podcast that ended up declaring ‘the best girl got (the part)’.
Emily was unable to accept the offer due to contractual obligations to star in 2010’s Gulliver’s Travels, which turned out to be a box office bomb.
She said on the podcast “Come on, the best girl’s got it” before adding that Scarlett was “great.”
Emily also addressed rumors of several other roles in the MCU that she had reportedly been offered.
Superhero: Emily Blunt, 40, has revealed she originally landed the role of Black Widow in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, a character made famous by Scarlett Johansson, 38
Missed out: The British actress discussed missing out on the chance to play the super-spy on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, eventually stating ‘the best girl got (the part)’ (Scarlett pictured in the role)
The Devil Wears Prada star was reportedly lined up to play Captain Marvel (who ended up being played by Brie Larson), Peggy Carter (by fellow Briton Hayley Atwell), and Sue Storm (played by Jessica Alba in 2005 and Kate Mara in 2015).
But Emily said all the speculation was just, “Rumors. Conversation. To ask. Those kind of things’
Scarlett played the role of Black Widow, real name Natasha Romanoff, in 2010’s Iron Man 2, 2012’s The Avengers, 2014’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier, 2015’s Avengers: Age Of Ultron, 2016’s Captain America: Civil War, 2018’s Avengers: Infinity War , and 2019’s Captain Marvel and Avengers: Endgame.
She also starred in the character’s standalone 2021 film and settled out of court with Disney over her performance in the film for a reported $40 million.
It is believed that the actress earned a whopping $80 million for her role in the Marvel franchise.
In 2019, she told Howard Stern on SiriusXM about the incident, “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 because I’m so proud of the decisions I make, and they mean so much to me, the movies I make, so that was hard,” said the A Quiet Place star.
“They (Fox) have a little bit of a hold on you. There were other movies I’d like to do,” she said.
Failed: Emily couldn’t accept the offer due to contractual obligations to star in 2010’s Gulliver’s Travels, which turned out to be a box office bomb (Emily pictured in the film)
Wow: Scarlett has appeared as the character in nine films and is believed to have earned a whopping $80 million
Big names: Emily also addressed rumors of several other roles in the MCU that she’d reportedly been offered (L, Hayley Atwell as Peggy Carter and R, Brie Larson as Captain Marvel)
‘At one point I realized I had to get rid of this optional photo contract because it would just hang over my head and I didn’t want that.
“In the end, as hard as it was, I don’t think anyone expected the hand to be forced. I think you kind of enjoy hoping it isn’t,” she continued.
“I care very, very, very much about the choices I make,” Blunt explained. “That’s all I have, the choices I make.”
Despite her disappointment with the situation, Emily said she maintained her professionalism on the set of Gulliver’s Travels. “I didn’t talk to anyone about it on set or anything because there were a lot of really sweet people in there who were heavenly to work with.
“I had a really good time, laughed, with all of them, but it hurt me that it had happened in the first place,” the actress said.
Main role: Meanwhile husband John Krasinski appeared as Mr Fantastic in 2022’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
However, Emily told Howard that she eventually came to the conclusion that the superhero genre might not be right for her.
“I love Iron Man and when I was offered Black Widow I was obsessed with Iron Man,” said Blunt.
“I wanted to go with Robert Downey Jr. to work. It would have been great. But I don’t know if superhero movies are for me. They’re not up my alley. I do not like them. I really don’t.’
“It’s exhausted,” she continued. ‘We’re swamped. It’s not just all the movies, it’s the endless TV shows. It’s not to say I’d never want to play one, it would just have to be this cool and a really cool character, and then I’d be interested.’