Scarlett Johansson for Captain America 2

Los Angeles - Scarlett Johansson's The Avengers alter-ego is set to appear in Captain America: The Winter Soldier.

The 27-year-old actress first portrayed the popular Marvel comic book character, Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow, in Iron Man 2 in 2010 before reprising her role in this year's superhero ensemble blockbuster and according to Deadline, her character is "in the mix" to appear in the next Captain America.

But Scarlett's alter-ego doesn't look set to become the love interest for the titular character - who is portrayed by Chris Evans - in the follow up to 2011's Captain America: The First Avenger as Marvel have reportedly drawn up a short list of five names to cast a "significant female role" in the sequel.

Set in present day

Downton Abbey star Jessica Brown Findlay, Game of Thrones actress Emelia Clarke and Community's Alison Brie are all thought to be in the running for the part as well as Fright Night star Imogen Poots and I Am Number Four star Teresa Palmer.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier is due to be set in the present day and focus on modern society in contrast to the original movie, which was set in the 1940s.

The movie sequel will begin filming in March 2013 ahead of a proposed April 2014 release.

Meanwhile, filming on Iron Man 3 has resumed after production had be halted in August when Robert Downey Jr - who portrays the titular character in the Marvel movie - injured his ankle while performing a minor stunt.