Yesterday we finally had some exciting news to report on Marvel Entertainment's Captain Marvel movie. Oscar-winner Brie Larson is up for the lead role, but we've also heard about two directors who might lead the cast.
Along with their casting report yesterday, The Hollywood Reporter put forth these possible directors for Captain Marvel.
One is New Zealand director Niki Caro. Probably best known for her 2002 film Whale Rider, Caro has a great resume and more recently directed McFarland, USA and the upcoming adaptation of The Zookeeper's Wife starring Jessica Chastain (a name that had also been rumored to play Captain Marvel). If they choose Caro, that will make her the second New Zealand director Marvel has hired. The first being What We Do in the Shadows' Taika Waititi who is helming Thor: Ragnarok for them.
The other name floating around is Australian Jennifer Kent, best known for the psychological thriller The Babadook. Kent recently had a feature in The Guardian in which she discussed her next film projects. One features a brutal period in the history of Australian island Tasmania and its colonization and near destruction of its Indigenous people. The the other is an adaptation of what she calls a “lesbian gothic love story,” Alice + Freda Forever.
But there was something else she told them that was certainly intriguing:
Any big-budget superhero flicks on that list?
“Possibly,” she says, slyly. “It”s funny, when I hear people crying about, ‘Oh, female directors are never offered these big tentpole films … what about Jennifer Kent? She”s not doing anything!,” I sort of read it and chuckle because, well, you have no idea what”s going on at my end – what I”m actually saying no to.”
These two names can now be added to a list that so far only included Emily Carmichael, the short-film director who was recently scooped up by Colin Trevorrow to direct Powerhouse.
Even though THR wrote “Marvel has been on the hunt for a female filmmaker to helm this most female-centric of their properties,” Marvel's Kevin Feige has gone on record to say “In terms of Captain Marvel, we don”t send out edicts. That being said, we are meeting with many, many immensely talented directors, the majority of whom are female. I do hope they will have announcements certainly by the summer, before the summer”s end, on a director for that.”