Scarlett Johansson Criticizes Oscars for Overlooking Avengers: Endgame

Actress Scarlett Johansson, with two Academy Award nominations to her name, remains puzzled by the limited Oscar recognition for Avengers: Endgame, in which she portrayed Black Widow. Despite the film's monumental success and intricate storytelling, it secured only a single nomination for visual effects. Johansson expressed her bewilderment in a recent Vanity Fair interview, questioning, "How did this film not get nominated for an Oscar?" She emphasized the film's improbable success and its status as one of the highest-grossing films ever.

Avengers: Endgame is widely regarded as one of the finest entries in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), yet the Academy has historically been reluctant to honor superhero films with top-tier awards such as acting or directing. The notable exception being 2018's Black Panther, which received multiple nominations. Johansson's portrayal of Natasha Romanoff, from her debut in Iron Man 2 to her poignant death in Endgame, was critically acclaimed and certainly worthy of recognition.

In the same Vanity Fair interview, Johansson expressed doubts about returning to the MCU, stating, "It would be very hard for me to understand in what capacity [returning] would make sense for me, for the character that I play." She values the completeness of her character's arc and is hesitant to alter it, saying, "I miss my buddies and really would love to be with them forever, but what works about the character is that her story is complete. I don’t want to mess with that. For fans, too — it’s important for them."

Every MCU Movie Tier List

Every MCU Movie Tier List

Following Black Widow's demise in Endgame, Johansson reprised her role in the 2021 prequel film Black Widow, which she also executive produced, offering fans one last glimpse into the life of Natasha Romanoff.