Scarlett Johansson’s Secret Marvel Project Revealed, It’s Not Black Widow
We’ve known for over a year now that Scarlett Johansson is working on a secret project with Marvel. It’s a secret no more.
I’ve exclusively learned that Scarlett Johansson is working on turning The Blonde Phantom into a Disney+ series for Marvel. The Blonde Phantom was a masked crime fighter who appeared in mid-1940s comic books, and now she’s being resurrected by Scarlett Johansson.
Johansson is producing The Blonde Phantom series with Marvel’s Kevin Feige. At this stage, it’s unclear whether she’ll actually play the hero character herself. It is possible Scarlett could end up in the lead role, but it’s to be determined.
That said, it’s hard to imagine Scarlett Johansson playing anything other than Black Widow. Having one of the Avengers actors cast as a different comic book character, other than the one we know them for, is something Marvel has so far avoided.
The Blonde Phantom first appeared in issue #11 of All Select Comics back in 1946. The character was so popular she immediately got her own solo comic book, and her very next appearance was in an issue titled The Blonde Phantom.
By day the Blonde Phantom’s name is Louise Grant, and she’s a secretary at the Mark Mason Detective Agency. Louise is in love with her boss and the two have a very Lois Lane/Clark Kent dynamic. Intentionally reversing the well-known Superman narrative, Mark Mason is in love with the Blonde Phantom but barely notices his mousy secretary, Louise Grant.
In her Blonde Phantom guise, Louise is glamorous and exciting. She accomplishes this mostly by taking off her glasses and letting her hair down. Superman eat your heart out.
Blonde Phantom doesn’t have any superpowers. Instead she’s athletic and highly trained, skilled in martial arts. Sort of like Batman without the gadgets.
Well, maybe not so much like Batman. Blonde Phantom’s costume is a slinky red evening gown topped off by a domino mask. She also carries a gun and has no problem using it.
The Blonde Phantom lasted for 22 issues before ending its run in 1949. The character would live on, appearing as a backup figure in other comics. Most notably, she appeared as Louise Mason, playing the sidekick in The Sensational She-Hulk comics from 1989 to 1994.
In her She-Hulk appearances, Louise’s outfit got an early-90s upgrade but still had her wearing a skirt.
This information came from the same source who helped us break the news Linda Cardellini would voice a character in Guardians of the Galaxy 3. That story was later confirmed by James Gunn himself. We’ll update you as soon as this breaking story is confirmed as well.
Giant Freakin Robot’s editorial policy prohibits me from reporting on information unless it’s from a confirmed source with a proven track record. You can find out more about our commitment to accurate reporting on Giant Freakin Robot’s credibility page.
