Marvel Studios has ambitious plans for the third phase of their filmmaking cycle. They will be beginning the process of sidelining many of the stars that have created the foundation of the Marvel cinematic universe (MCU), in an effort to continue growing and bolstering up the new faces that will be appearing over the course of the next few years. These new additions will eventually grab the baton from Iron Man, Thor, and Captain America, and take the MCU into phase 4 and beyond.
Marvel has already begun transitioning by featuring a new class of Avengers in Captain America: Civil War, introducing the Kree and Inhumans in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., and with the introduction of Klaw and the precious Wakandan element, vibranium, in Avengers: Age of Ultron. Fans of Marvel Comics recognize Klaw and vibranium as crucial parts of the Black Panther mythology, that are slowly being woven into the fabric of the MCU. That is because the first brand new face to get a solo film, will be Black Panther. Originally it was slated to be released in late 2017, however when an agreement was reached with Sony to introduce Spider-Man into the MCU, the web-slinger took Black Panther’s spot. It had something to do with seniority… This bumped Black Panther to a primetime slot in July 2018. With the star, Chadwick Boseman, already locked up as Black Panther and making his first appearance in Civil War, the focus is now on who will be steering the ship.
According to MCU Exchange, Marvel already has their director locked up. Apparently where there is smoke, there is fire. Rumors have been swirling for months that director Ava DuVernay (Selma) has been circling a Marvel project to helm. It had been narrowed down to either Captain Marvel or Black Panther, with all arrows pointing towards the latter. It appears that she is on board for Black Panther according to the report. MCU Exchange explains one reason for her recent hire.
Part of the desire to hire DuVernay this early in the process (more than three years before Black Panther‘s release date of July 6, 2018) is to have her on the set of Captain America: Civil War, which will feature the first appearance of both Black Panther and his home country of Wakanda.
Black Panther may be Marvel’s riskiest gamble yet. Black Panther is unlike most other superheroes. He rules a fictional country while much of the character’s history, mythology, and identity, is rooted in real world issues. These issues could potentially touch on race, tribalism, and colonialism, not exactly topics that Marvel Studios is known for exploring and probably for good reason. However, Black Panther is too important a character within the Marvel universe and for issues of representation, to simply ignore. So finding a director that is both sensitive to the issues at hand and simultaneously does not want to run from the hot topics, is crucial in Marvel’s selection of director.
If this pans out, DuVernay has proven with her Academy Award nominated film Selma, that she values story, character, and intimate moments. However, what may have gone unnoticed was her eye for dramatic flair through action. Both the church bombing and the assault on Edmund Pettis bridge, gave glimpses of her action style which incorporated the unflinching chaos of violence combined with poetic visuals, which would stand out in the lush backdrop of Africa. DuVernay would also be sensitive to stereotypes and would ensure that the subtext is as powerful as the action on camera. We should find out if she has been hired by official confirmation or perhaps if she is caught on location for Civil War in the coming weeks. We will be bringing you all the latest on Black Panther as it develops!
Black Panther will hit theaters on July 6, 2018.
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Source: MCU Exchange