Rachel Weisz has excelled in every role she has ever taken on, from The Mummy to Black Widow, Her versatility proves that she has the skill set to thrive in any arena. Although, she's been absent from one cinematic universe that's appealed to many.
As mentioned, Weisz appeared in the standalone Black Widow film alongside Scarlett Johansson but has since departed from the role. This has raised questions about her absence, especially since the movie's other newly-introduced characters, like Florence Pugh and David Harbour, have become mainstays. This begs to ask why Marvel Studios hasn't booked Weisz for further roles.
Interestingly enough, Weisz's character had a bit role in an episode of Marvel's What If Season 3, except she didn't voice her animated counterpart. Instead, Kari Wahlgren provided the voice to that version of Melina Vostokoff. A reason for the actress's departure hasn't been made known to the public.
In any case, Weisz's Black Widow co-stars want her back. While speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Thunderbolts' star David Harbour mentioned that he asked Marvel's people about Melina and a potential resurgence. He couldn't offer anything concrete, but Harbour did note that he still thinks there's "potential for Melina."
To recap, audiences last saw Melina Vostokoff (Weisz) at the end of Black Widow where she and her Red Room family liberated the remaining Widows from their brainwashing. Viewers assumed that she would team up with Alexei and Yelena in future operations. However, based on the glimpses of Red Guardian limousine service in The Thunderbolts, he's been alone for some time. A TV spot of Yelena visiting Alexei in his rundown home is further proof of him not faring well.
The question is: what happened to Melina? Did she and Alexei part ways because of personal differences or could something else have transpired? It's possible the freed Widows required additional aid, and since Melina was a former agent with ties to the Red Room, she would've been an ideal candidate for the position. Alternatively, Melina may have gone underground. Who knows how many operations she undertook while working for the Red Room? And those missions could've made Melina a wanted criminal in Russia and abroad.
It's still early to tell, although the next MCU movie to feature the Thunderbolts could also include a Melina Vostokoff cameo. Their team of superheroes is rumored to take on the title of Earth's Mightiest in light of the Avengers' absence, which means two things. For one, they'll need logistical support while on operations. And secondly, it'll need to be someone they can trust—as well as someone who won't have a problem working alongside a team of former assassins. Melina is the ideal candidate for such a position.
The Thunderbolts` opens in theaters on May 2, 2025.