• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

TheWrap: Marvel wants Ava DuVernay to direct either Black Panther or Captain Marvel

Status
Not open for further replies.
T

Toothless

Member
The “Selma” filmmaker is being eyed to join the MCU, but will she take the reins of “Black Panther” or “Captain Marvel?”

Marvel is courting “Selma” filmmaker Ava DuVernay to direct one of its diverse superhero movies, which include “Black Panther” and “Captain Marvel,” multiple individuals with knowledge of the situation have told TheWrap. Insiders suggest that “Black Panther,” due first in July 2018, is the most likely possibility.

Marvel has had discussions with DuVernay about taking the reins of one of its marquee comic book properties and while the studio is considering other directors, there is mutual interest in having her join the MCU.

A woman has never directed a Marvel movie, though the company did hire Patty Jenkins to direct “Thor: The Dark World.” Following creative differences, she was eventually replaced by Alan Taylor. Jenkins recently replaced Michelle MacLaren as the director of “Wonder Woman” at Warner Bros., which has been eager to beat Marvel to the proverbial punch when it comes to diversity within its comic book movie universe.

Insiders told TheWrap that Marvel is intent on hiring an African-American director for “Black Panther” and a female filmmaker for “Captain Marvel.” DuVernay’s hiring would make her Marvel’s first African-American and first female director, which would no doubt double as a public relations boon for the company.

“Black Panther” is set to star Chadwick Boseman as T’Challa, the prince of Wakanda who must take over his father’s throne and avenge his death. “Captain Marvel” follows a woman named Carol Danvers who receives powers after encountering an alien from the Kree Empire. Slated for release on Nov. 2, 2018, the film is Marvel’s first female-driven superhero movie, and will be written by Nicole Perlman (“Guardians of the Galaxy”) and Meg LeFauve (“Inside Out”).
Click to expand...

This would be a huge, huge get for Marvel. Selma was amazing.
 
M

Mushroomer25

Member
Selma's a pretty excellent film, and (as dark as it sounds) she shows an eye for real brutal action in the riot sequences. Some filming techniques at play there that could translate well to a typical action flick.

I'd support her doing Black Panther, though I wonder how much identifiable style she'd bring to the project.
 
B

Bobby Roberts

Banned
The Abominable Snowman said:
I REALLY don't want either to turn into emotional films so I hope she tones down the emotion.

Age of Ultron was fake-sappy enough.
Click to expand...

Not that there's anything wrong with a superhero movie being able to elicit honest emotion, but considering Feige was quoted recently as saying his films are staying mostly within the action-comedy genre, I doubt that DuVernay is going to turn in anything too emotionally deep.
 
B

BUNTING1243

Banned
That's super interesting and a really great get for Marvel. Yay for more diversity!

The scenes of violence in Selma were handled in a very powerful way. I doubt any of that would be in whatever she directs but she's got a style.
 
D

Discotheque

Banned
what did they see in selma that makes her right for either of these?

action's gonna be middle-of-the-mall shit. i'm happy that female directors are getting more consideration though at least. if they want a black director for black panther maybe...antoine fuqua?
 
B

BkMogul

Member
My first question is "why?" but then I see this is obviously positive PR for Marvel. I can't imagine they are judging this on her body of work, because while I'm sure Selma is a great movie, it's not action-heavy in the slightest. Although listening to interviews of her shows me she's quite intelligent, so I have little doubt she can pull this off with the right people around her.
 
B

Blader

Member
"Tones down the emotion" :lol

BkMogul said:
My first question is "why?" but then I see this is obviously positive PR for Marvel. I can't imagine they are judging this on her body of work, because while I'm sure Selma is a great movie, it's not action-heavy in the slightest. Although listening to interviews of her shows me she's quite intelligent, so I have little doubt she can pull this off with the right people around her.
Click to expand...

Selma is a great movie and Marvel's never cared about directors having experience with action movies anyway.
 
T

trips

Neo Member
Schweinehund said:
Hope she gets more freedom than what Whedon got, otherwise this doesn't look like much more than a PR move.
Click to expand...
Honestly, I feel like Whedon got plenty of creative freedom. Age of Ultron is drenched in his tropes. Patty Jenkins' and Edgar Wright's experiences are more of cautionary tale, though I doubt Marvel would fire DuVernay halfway through production. The PR would be catastrophic.
 
D

DiddyBop

Member
Arent the MCU movies mostly producer controlled anyways? Pretty sure she won't have full control over anything but then I question why she would sign on in the first place if she barely has any creative input? All baseless speculation
 
H

hodayathink

Member
DiddyBop said:
Arent the MCU movies mostly producer controlled anyways? Pretty sure she won't have full control over anything but then I question why she would sign on in the first place if she barely has any creative input? All baseless speculation
Click to expand...


Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think she's the writer/director type (like Whedon or James Gunn) so they'd be bringing her in to shoot a script that someone else has written. She wouldn't necessarily need the same amount of creative control as those guys. Besides, for the most part, I think the "producer controlling" of Marvel movies basically amounts to Feige saying dictating where the story starts and ends, and certain MCU affecting elements that have to be in it. How they get to those things is entirely up to the writers and director/s.
 
K

kirblar

Member
hodayathink said:
Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think she's the writer/director type (like Whedon or James Gunn) so they'd be bringing her in to shoot a script that someone else has written. She wouldn't necessarily need the same amount of creative control as those guys. Besides, for the most part, I think the "producer controlling" of Marvel movies basically amounts to Feige saying dictating where the story starts and ends, and certain MCU affecting elements that have to be in it. How they get to those things is entirely up to the writers and director/s.
Click to expand...
Action sequences are also pre-planned and worked out heavily on production's side.
 
A

Aztechnology

Member
Discotheque said:
what did they see in selma that makes her right for either of these?

action's gonna be middle-of-the-mall shit. i'm happy that female directors are getting more consideration though at least. if they want a black director for black panther maybe...antoine fuqua?
Click to expand...

Yea, I looked at her filmography and I'm not really seeing any projects she worked on that screams perfect for an action filled blockbuster. But maybe that's exactly what marvel needs. I just hope this isnt being done for the wrong reasons. I'd love to see how she directs a super hero flick though simply because it might have a heavier focus on plot development than marvel is typically known for.
 
V

Vermillion

Banned
Look... all I want is good action, and a great portrayal of the kingdom of Wakanda. I don't care who directs the movie so long as I have that.
 
T

TacticalFox88

Banned
So long as they make it clear as fuckkng day with no room for misinterpretation that Zealand's is tiers above even SHIELD and Stark technologically I don't care who directs.

I just want tears of salty rage from the racists
 
B

BBboy20

Member
BobbyRoberts said:
Not that there's anything wrong with a superhero movie being able to elicit honest emotion, but considering Feige was quoted recently as saying his films are staying mostly within the action-comedy genre, I doubt that DuVernay is going to turn in anything too emotionally deep.
Click to expand...
...how much of Black Panther, in general, is part comedy?

richiek said:
https://twitter.com/elmayimbe/status/598513277388324864


According to Umberto Gonzalez, Marvel is in talks with Rick Famuyiwa (Dope) to direct Black Panther.
Click to expand...
Whu? Dope isn't even out yet somehow I'm rather excited about this.
 
A

atr0cious

Member
BBboy20 said:
Whu? Dope isn't even out yet somehow I'm rather excited about this.
Click to expand...

Check out The Wood. I think it has a great little directorial style that would fit a comic book, definitely needs a budget and better blocking though, too much talking head.
 
B

BlackBanditSho

Member
atr0cious said:
Check out The Wood. I think it has a great little directorial style that would fit a comic book, definitely needs a budget and better blocking though, too much talking head.
Click to expand...

or The Wood, or Brown Sugar. There are at least three good reasons that he'd make a fantastic director for this as long as his second unit was strong on action. I'm really getting more and more hyped by the second.

I like Ava, but not for this.
 
T

Toothless

Member
Willing to bet Marvel will hold off all director/casting news for everything beyond Civil War until either Comic Con or D23. I know they said they wouldn't be at the former, but they can still send out news then.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

  • Locked
Hollywood's New Rules - The Explosion of Woke and its Ostracizing Effects
2
83
7K
Coolwhhip replied
Anthony Mackie (the New Captain America) Says Black Panther is Racist
2
73
5K
#Phonepunk# replied
How Ms. Marvel became Marvel’s most important superhero
Clickbait Cringe
38
4K
AJUMP23 replied
So... Marvel Just SDCC
2 3 4
193
8K
StreetsofBeige replied
Ray Fisher Finally Details His Allegations of Joss Whedon's 'Racist and Inappropriate Conduct' (Basically, Cyborg's Backstory Was Cut)
2
97
8K
Rekki-Maru replied
Top Bottom