Scarlett Johansson got rejected for ‘Black Widow’, as Emily Blunt was the first choice

Scarlett Johansson is recognized widely for her role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Black Widow.

However, what many fans may not be aware of is how the iconic part almost slipped away from her to Emily Blunt after she was initially rejected.

The Marriage Story actor admitted in her interview with Parade magazine that she was not one of the primary choices for the director of Iron Man 2 Jon Favreau, as he gave away the role to Blunt, even after his ‘wonderful’ meeting with Johansson.

“I was really excited to work with him. So I said, ‘If this doesn’t work out, I’m an actor for hire, so call me anytime,’” she added.

However, the universe was perhaps rooting for Johansson to star as the lethal red-headed assassin as Blunt opted out due to scheduling conflicts. Later when getting considered for the role of Peggy Carter in Captain America, Blunt was once again taken into consideration but the same issues arose.

“The best call you can receive is after you are rejected for something and then you get it. You appreciate it more. I’ve basically made a career out of being the second choice,” she said.

Furthermore, speaking about the famous 2012 shot from The Avengers, with the OG heroes standing in a circle waiting to go into battle, Johansson termed the scene ‘iconic.’

“It’s the iconic hero shot. We were all thinking, ‘This is crazy!’ because these worlds were coming together. We’re still processing how much of an impact these movies have had.”

The actor will next be seen stepping into the shoes of the Russian spy in Marvel's upcoming Black Widow prequel, which has now been pushed to November after an initial May release, owing to the coronavirus pandemic.