Florence Pugh Didn't Know Yelena Would Return In MCU So Soon

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Florence Pugh was surprised to learn her Black Widow character Yelena Belova would return to the MCU so quickly following the movie's release. At long last, the first film in the MCU's Phase 4 has arrived, and it leaves behind much to discuss. Black Widow serves as both the send-off to Scarlett Johansson's Natasha Romanoff and her first solo project within the franchise. As Natasha sacrificed herself in Avengers: Endgame, the new movie is set years beforehand, when she's on the run following Captain America: Civil War.

Despite that distance from Endgame, the end-credits scene for Black Widow takes place after that 2019 film and picks up with Natasha's younger sister Yelena. In case viewers have any question about where the scene falls in the MCU timeline, Yelena visits Natasha's grave and silently pays her respects. The quiet moment is then disrupted by the arrival of the Contessa Valentina Allegra de la Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), who brings Yelena her newest target: Clint Barton (Jeremy Renner), the man responsible for Natasha's death. And so, Black Widow neatly sets up Yelena's role in the upcoming Hawkeye series.

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RELATED: Black Widow’s End-Credits Scene Sets Up Multiple Phase 4 Storylines

Fans have known since late last year that Pugh will have a role in Hawkeye, but it came as quite the surprise to the actress. While speaking to Variety about the juicy Black Widow end-credits scene, Pugh admitted she was taken aback by how quickly Yelena returned in the MCU. It was always a given that the character would be sticking around, but the speed was surprising. "There’s always talks, but I didn’t ever really imagine that it would continue quite so quickly," Pugh said.

Though Hawkeye has yet to receive an official release date, it is currently eyeing a late 2021 premiere. This means Yelena's next MCU appearance will be just a few months after her first, which is definitely a quick turnaround for the franchise. It's interesting that Pugh didn't realize she would be in Hawkeye until closer to filming the Black Widow scene, but it also fits with Marvel's way of doing things. Actors have often spoken about how they are kept in the dark about the studio's future plans; it makes sense that they would keep this from Pugh for a while.

The Black Widow end-credits scene sets up an exciting future for Yelena, so it's actually a relief that audiences won't have to wait too long to see what's next for her. Though Hawkeye has always meant a lot to Natasha, Yelena doesn't have that shared history. To her, he's just the one who seemingly caused Natasha's death, and Yelena is out for blood. This means fans shouldn't expect a happy meeting between Natasha's closest confidants. This is just the start of Yelena's MCU journey, and if these early steps are any indication, she has an excellent arc ahead of her.

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