Rachel Weisz is in talks to star in 'Black Widow'.

Rachel Weisz

Rachel Weisz

The 49-year-old star is said to be in early negotiations to join Scarlett Johansson's standalone Marvel movie, as is 'Stranger Things' actor David Harbour.

Sources told Variety that the talks are progressing in the right direction.

Cate Shortland is set to direct the motion picture, Kevin Feige will produce, and Jac Shaeffer will pen the script.

News of Weisz and Harbour's talks come just weeks after 'Little Women' actress Florence Pugh was said to be in negotiations about joining the cast.

There are few details about the film as-yet, but it will focus on Johansson's S.H.I.E.L.D. spy character Natasha Romanoff, aka Black Widow, an alter-ego she has portrayed in the Marvel Cinematic Universe since 2010 when she made her debut in 'Iron Man 2'.

Emma Watson has also been linked to the movie, with her potential part recently described as a "kick-ass female [James] Bond".

Johansson has high hopes for the standalone film, and believes Feige can help to create a "really ground-breaking" movie.

She said: "The only way to do it would be if it were something that we've never seen before that was really ground-breaking and incredibly bad ass. I think if anyone could make that happen my boss Kevin Feige could. He's a visionary."

She also believes there is plenty of scope to develop a compelling storyline because of her character's traumatic past.

The 'Lucy' star recently said: "I think it could be something really special.

"There's a lot of room there. The character has a tortured past, she's had to make a lot of difficult decisions. She has a lot of trauma. She's got issues. There's room to work them all out."

Tagged in