Movies News
A Trio of Directors Emerge as Early Contenders for 'Captain Marvel'
There was a time when it might have seemed odd to cast the lead of a movie that was years away before you even hired a director, but it’s become an increasingly common practice in a Hollywood system where studios stake out release dates before anyone has even read a script. The (very successful) way Marvel makes its movies has turned this process into a necessity. Characters can pop up in different movies before they get their own, which is precisely what’s expected to happen with Captain Marvel.
Brie Larson (above) was cast as the titular hero over the summer. It is rumored that she’ll pop up in Avengers: Infinity War, directed by Captain America: Civil War directors the Russo brothers, but she’ll be getting her own movie in 2019. And now The Hollywood Reporter is sharing a short list of directors Marvel is said to be carefully considering. It includes:
Niki Caro – The New Zealand-borne director of Whale Rider. She must recently made McFarland, USA for Disney and has the historical drama The Zoopkeepr’s Wife set to come out next March.
Lesli Linka Glatter – A veteran of TV who has directed more shows you’ve watched than you probably realize. She’s worked on Amazing Stories, Twin Peaks, Freaks and Geeks, Mad Men, True Blood and Homeland.
Lorene Scafaria – A writer (Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist) turned director who made 2012’s Seeking a Friend for the End of the World and 2015’s The Meddler.
In case that shortlist doesn’t make it obvious, Marvel clearly wants a woman to direct their first solo female superhero movie. THR points out, however, that this is far from a final list of directors. A reporter for Variety even teased on Twitter that there’s at least one name not mentioned.
So, don’t take this early list as a guarantee that one of these three will definitely direct Captain Marvel. Instead, take it as a noteworthy insight into where Marvel Studio’s head is at with the project.