Avengers: Endgame Writer Tried a Version Where Hawkeye Made the Soul Stone Sacrifice, but Female Colleagues Convinced Him Who It Needed Be
Avengers: Endgame co-writer Stephen McFeely has revealed that an earlier version of the film considered having Hawkeye make the sacrificial jump for the Soul Stone instead of Black Widow. During a post-screening Q&A at an Avengers: Endgame Encore event in Minnesota, McFeely discussed how female colleagues at Marvel Studios persuaded him that Natasha Romanov should be the character to make the ultimate sacrifice in the Infinity Saga’s climax.
In the final film, Scarlett Johansson’s Black Widow jumps from Vormir to secure the Soul Stone, a pivotal moment that concludes her character arc in the MCU. McFeely’s admission provides insight into the creative decision-making process behind one of the franchise’s most significant character deaths. The writer’s willingness to reconsider the original concept based on input from female team members highlights the collaborative nature of major blockbuster filmmaking and the importance of diverse perspectives in storytelling decisions.