Kevin Feige drops major hint about Florence Pugh's next Marvel appearance
The president of MCU has hinted that Florence Pugh's Yelena may appear in 'Spider-Man: Brand New Day'
Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige has teased that Florence Pugh's fan-favourite character Yelena Belova may return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe sooner than expected.
Speaking during an appearance at BiliBili World in Shanghai, Feige suggested audiences won't have to wait until Avengers: Doomsday to see Pugh reprise her role.
"If you're a fan of Yelena, wait until Avengers: Doomsday. Yelena plays a big part in that," Feige said.
"But if you don't want to wait until then, you might see Yelena a little bit sooner in the movies."
His comments have fueled speculation that Yelena could appear in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, the only Marvel Cinematic Universe film scheduled for release before Avengers: Doomsday.
Pugh first debuted as Yelena Belova in 2021's Black Widow before returning in Disney+'s Hawkeye.
She most recently starred in Thunderbolts, where her character joined the newly formed New Avengers, setting the stage for a larger role in the upcoming crossover film.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day stars Tom Holland as Peter Parker and is set to feature several familiar Marvel faces, including Mark Ruffalo's Bruce Banner/Hulk and Jon Bernthal's Frank Castle/The Punisher. Zendaya and Jacob Batalon are also returning as MJ and Ned, respectively.
The film will also introduce new cast members, including Sadie Sink, Tramell Tillman, Liza Colón-Zayas, Eman Esfandi and Marvin Jones III.
During the same event, Feige also recalled Robert Downey Jr.'s reaction after agreeing to return to the MCU as the villain Victor Von Doom.
"His exact words were: 'I played the best hero. I can play the best villain,'" Feige said.
Downey famously portrayed Tony Stark/Iron Man for more than a decade before announcing his surprise return to the franchise in a completely different role.
While Marvel has kept plot details for Spider-Man: Brand New Day largely under wraps, the film is expected to follow Peter Parker as he navigates life after the events of Spider-Man: No Way Home, with early script details hinting that living in isolation has begun taking a psychological toll on the young hero.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day is scheduled to arrive in theaters on July 31.
