Variety reports that Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden have been brought aboard to direct Captain Marvel. Online speculations have been buzzing around recently that a director had been found, but verified, so this solidifies active movement on the part of Captain Marvel, as well as Marvel Studios’ commitment to find outside-the-box talent to helm their tentpole spectacles.
Oscar winner Brie Larson (Room) will lead the film – Marvel’s first female-headed superhero title – as Air Force pilot Carol Danvers. The story goes that Danvers gains super-abilities after her DNA is fused with that of an alien. Those powers include strength, energy projection, and flight. Meg LeFauve (Inside Out) and Nicole Perlman (Guardians of the Galaxy) are currently working on the screenplay.
Reportedly, Marvel (who haven’t officially commented on the news just yet) was taking their time to find the right filmmakers for Captain Marvel, meeting with several contenders (including reportedly courting a handful of female directors for the gig) and making sure the script was up to snuff before moving forward too aggressively. Something must have clicked with Fleck and Boden, who by signing up for Captain Marvel would be endeavoring the biggest film of their respective careers.
Fleck and Boden entered the scenes as director and writers of the 2006 indie Half Nelson – which earned leading actor Ryan Gosling an Oscar nomination and considerable critical acclaim. Since then, the duo have collaborated on small character studies like Sugar (2008), It’s Kind of a Funny Story (2010) and Mississippi Grind (2015). They’ve also directed episodes of Billions and The Affair for the small screen.
It’s a bit of pattern for Marvel at this point to bring in filmmakers from the indie realm, as evidenced by Guardians of the Galaxy helmer James Gunn (who began with cult genre entries like Slither and Super), Thor: Ragnarok director Taika Waititi (who helmed the quirky indie hits What We Do in the Shadows and Hunt for the Wilderpeople) and Captain America: Civil War helmers Joe and Anthony Russo (both of whom similarly started out on the indie side).
Captain Marvel is due to hit theaters on Marcy 8, 2019.
Leave a Comment