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Australian director Cate Shortland is to direct the Marvel blockbuster<i>Black Widow</i>. — Australian director Cate Shortland is to direct the Marvel blockbusterBlack Widow.Credit:Danielle Smith

In a 2012 interview with Fairfax Media,she cited Canberra's now-closed Electric Shadows cinema as having a"profound"effect on her love of film.

As early as 13,she was an avid viewer of Andy Warhol retrospectives and French New Wave and German expressionist film. And we'd bet Marvel is thanking its stars (literally,Scarlett Johansson) that Shortland saw this fascination through.

Marvel's search for itsBlack Widow director has been notoriously drawn out,with theHollywood Reporter revealing Shortland beat more than 70 directors including Emma Asante (Belle),Melanie Laurent (Galveston) and Kimberly Peirce (Boys Don’t Cry).

It's possible it has taken cues from rivals DC,which brought on Patty Jenkins to directWonder Woman -the first superhero film directed by a woman and now the highest grossing superhero origin film of all time.

Can't hurt to have Scarlett Johansson as a mate.Credit:Jay Maidment

While Australian actors have been prominent in the studio's superhero movies,with Hugh Jackman as Wolverine and Chris Hemsworth as Thor,Shortland will be the first Australian director in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

That canon includes 20 superhero movies that have grossed more than $US17 billion sinceIron Man was released in 2008.

Johansson has been playing Romanoff,the Russian spy-turned-Avengers-superhero,sinceIron Man 2.

While fans of the character have long pushed for a standalone Black Widow story,it tookWonder Woman to demonstrate the appeal of female-led superhero movies.

With Garry Maddox

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