Black Widow solo film in development at Marvel with writer Jac Schaeffer

Jan. 11 (UPI) -- A solo film based around Scarlett Johansson's Black Widow is in development at Marvel, with screenwriter Jac Schaffer signing onto the project.

The project is still in early development and has not officially been approved but the hiring of a screenwriter is Marvel's first step toward making a Black Widow film, Variety reported.

Schaffer recently penned the script for the upcoming Dirty Rotten Scoundrels remake Nasty Woman, starring Anne Hathaway and Rebel Wilson. Hathaway is also set to star in alien invasion film The Shower, which Schaffer wrote.

Johansson has been portraying Black Widow, a highly-trained spy who hails from Russia, since 2010, when she first appeared as the character in Iron Man 2. The actress has reprised the role in a number of Marvel cinematic universe projects, such as the Avengers films -- including the upcoming Infinity War -- and two Captain America films.

Johansson and Marvel studios head Kevin Feige has expressed interest in making a Black Widow solo film in the past.

Despite Black Widow's long tenure on-screen, Marvel's first film led by a female superhero will be Captain Marvel, starring Brie Larson, which is due in theaters on March 6, 2019.