Black Widow director Cate Shortland has shared some new details on the upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe film, commenting on her inspirations and which previous MCU film it may be similar to.

　　Speaking to Fandango as tickets for Black Widow go on sale, Shortland said the films No Country for Old Men and Thelma and Louise were two major inspirations for Black Widow. She didn't share any insight as to why, but that's intriguing to think about in any event.

　　People who have seen Black Widow say it brings back memories of Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Shortland said. "It's got great action. It's got a lot of heart, it's emotional. And at times, it can be a little bit dark, but then it opens up again," she said of the connections people are making between the two films. "And it's really exciting. So I think that's like this film. This film has fantastic action sequences, which we're really proud of."

　　Overall, Shortland said Black Widow is, in some ways at least, "darker" than earlier MCU films. It also has "a lot of love in it," in addition to humor, which helps it not feel too dark, she said. "What we knew was, the film was going to dictate what it wanted to be, and that comes from Black Widow. She's incredibly nuanced," Shortland said. "She's frightened to show the world who she truly is. But once you see that beautiful heart, you're sort of intoxicated by it. And that's kind of what we wanted the film to be."

　　Black Widow opens in theaters on July 9, which is also when the movie comes to Disney+ with Premiere Access for $30.

　　In other MCU news, the new Disney+ show Loki is streaming now. For more, check out 15 Easter eggs and references you might have missed from Loki Episode 1.