Initially, one of the most moving moments in “Avengers: Endgame” should have looked very different – but as Jeremy Renner pointed out today, in hindsight, it’s a good thing Marvel rejected this approach.
Six years after “Avengers: Endgame”, new details about the making of the finale in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) are gradually starting to emerge. The film features some of the most emotional moments in the saga – including the farewell of Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) and Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.).
While Robert Downey Jr. returning as Doctor Doom in Avengers: Doomsday, Scarlett Johansson has not appeared in the MCU since her role as Black Widow in 2021. Now Jeremy Renner has revealed that her character’s death was originally planned in a completely different version.
Black Widow’s original death scene was completely removed
The Hawkeye actor reported in 2025 that Marvel Studios was unhappy with the previously planned version of Black Widow’s death. It was therefore decided to extensively revise and reshoot the sequence.
Jeremy Renner praises Neudreh: “It’s heartbreaking”
Looking back, Jeremy Renner is much happier with the new “Avengers: Endgame” movie version. From his perspective, the extra effort clearly paid off: “It’s much more emotional, more haunting, I think. It’s heartbreaking. Playing this scene is heartbreaking. At the same time, it’s also a goodbye. It’s like saying goodbye to someone. There were 22 previous films that allowed this scene to happen.”
