Black Widow CSP english media AQA

Black Widow is an example of a Hollywood blockbuster. The film is the 24th entry in the

Marvel Cinematic Universe franchise (MCU) and the first in “Phase Four” of the series, which

peaked in 2019 with Avengers: Endgame (as of 2021, one of the most financially successful

movies ever made). Black Widow is significant in that it is the first MCU film solely directed by

a female director and only the second to be focused on a female character (after Captain

Marvel, 2019), demonstrating Marvel’s attempts to engage in more diverse filmmaking after

criticisms that the industry is dominated by white male directors and actors.

This product provides a range of opportunities to study how movies are produced, distributed,

and exhibited in the digital age (including the importance of online services such as Disney+),

as well as considering issues of diversity in the film industry. It also offers an opportunity to

consider the impact of the 2020 coronavirus outbreak on the film industry and how this affected

both marketing and distribution.

You will need to look at examples of trailers, posters and online marketing for the film as well

as examining how it was distributed. Box office figures and global audiences should be

considered, as should the broader implications of conglomerate ownership represented by

Disney.

• Media Industries. You will need to investigate which production companies were involved

in the making of Black Widow and how these demonstrate patterns of ownership in the

media industries (such as conglomerate ownership, convergence, and horizontal/vertical

integration). How does Black Widow demonstrate attempts to make the film industry more

diverse in relation to lead actors and directors? What is the definition of a ‘Blockbuster’

movie and why are such films funded and made? What was the production budget

compared to the box office performance of Black Widow? Why and how might the

production and distribution of Black Widow be different to previous MCU movies? Which

potential audiences were identified by the film’s marketing campaign (including

merchandising and other tie-ins) and how were they targeted? How important is attracting

an international, multicultural audience to recouping the huge investment required by

blockbuster films? What is ‘Star Power’ and what was its role in the production and

marketing…