Following recent news about the upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe movies, it’s also been revealed that the company is courting Ava DuVernay, director of Selma, to direct one of its future movies, according to The Wrap. This revelation comes at the same time as the announcement that the American Civil Liberties Union has requested an investigation of Hollywood hiring practices, which the organization alleges discriminate against women.
DuVernay is being courted to direct either the upcoming Black Panther or Captain Marvel. Black Panther will follow the character T’Challa, prince of the African nation Wakanda, who has special abilities as well as a vast amount of resources granted by his nation and culture. T’Challa will be played by Chadwick Boseman. Captain Marvel will follow Carol Danvers, a woman granted superhuman abilities after an encounter with a Kree alien.
Because of the major changes in these premises—a black protagonist and a female protagonist—it seems appropriate that Marvel would want the director of one of these movies to share that same diversity. It goes without saying that this would also be a public relations boon following the coming investigation. It seems the most likely that DuVernay will be directing Black Panther, as it is being released sooner than Captain Marvel. Aside from DuVernay’s directorial experience with the blockbuster Selma, she has a bit of comic book movie experience from her promotional services on Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man 2.
Black Panther will be released in July 2016, while Captain Marvel is slated for release in November 2018.