In a super move for one of the most highly-anticipated superhero films, Marvel Studios and Disney have tapped Nia DaCosta to direct the upcoming second installment in the
Captain Marvel franchise. The film studios have not confirmed DaCosta’s involvement, but
multiple industry outlets are reporting that DaCosta has signed on for the film, which will feature the return of Brie Larson as Carol Danvers.In January, Marvel Studios and Disney
announced that Megan McDonnell will write the script for
Captain Marvel 2. McDonnell is no stranger to the MCU, having written the script for the upcoming Disney+ series
WandaVision, which features Elizabeth Olsen reprising her role as Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch and Paul Bettany as Vision.DaCosta made her feature film debut with 2018’s
Little Woods. Starring Tessa Thompson and Lily James, the gritty drama told the story of two sisters trying to make ends meet after the death of their mother by navigating the dangerous and dark world of cross-border drug dealing between the United States and Canada. Written and directed by DaCosta, the film premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival and was well-received by critics, sitting at an impressive 95 percent rating on
Rotten Tomatoes.In 2018, the American director was tapped by Jordan Peele to help bring the iconic horror franchise
Candyman back to the big screen. Peele and DaCosta wrote the screenplay together, with Peele behind the scenes as a producer and DaCosta directing. The film was slated for release in June but was delayed until October because of COVID. The first trailer for the horror film was released in February and unveiled an exciting sneak peek at the project, which features a diverse cast not often seen in horror films.
DaCosta’s involvement in
Captain Marvel 2, which is expected to be released on July 8, 2022, is another breakthrough in the world of big budget feature films and specifically the superhero genre. DaCosta is only the fourth woman to direct a Marvel Studios film and the first Black woman to get the job. She takes over directing duties from Anna Boden, who helped create the 2019 film that earned $1.1 billion worldwide, along with Ryan Fleck.DaCosta is following in the footsteps of Boden, as well as other female superhero film directors like Patty Jenkins (
Wonder Woman) and Cathy Yan (
Birds of Prey). Cate Shortland directed the long-awaited standalone
Black Widow film that was originally scheduled for a May release and has been delayed until November. Chloé Zhao, whose 2017 film
The Rider won the Art Cinema Award at Cannes, has also entered the Marvel Universe as the director for next year’s superhero film
The Eternals, which stars Angelina Jolie, Kit Harington, Kumail Nanjiani, Richard Madden and Gemma Chan.[video_embed id='2008280']RELATED: ‘The Old Guard’s Kiki Layne and Gina Prince-Bythewood share what it’s like working on a superhero movie[/video_embed]Most recently, Gina Prince-Blythewood, who made her directorial debut with 2000’s
Love and Basketball, directed
The Old Guard. Venturing into the action film realm that is typically dominated by white male directors, Prince-Blythewood’s film, which stars Charlize Theron and KiKi Layne, became one of
Netflix’s top 10 most popular films only one week after its release. Prince-Blythewood is the first Black female director to add her name to the streaming giant’s top 10 list. In a rare announcement about streaming numbers, Netflix revealed that the film was on target to reach 72 million households in its first month.DaCosta’s involvement in
Captain Marvel 2 is exciting for several reasons, not only because of the ongoing shift towards major studios finally working with female directors. As noted by
Deadline, the budget for
Captain Marvel 2 has yet to be announced, but considering the first film was made with an estimated budget of $152-175 million, DaCosta may soon hold the title for highest budget film made by a Black female director. Ava DuVernay currently holds the title thanks to
A Wrinkle In Time, which Disney made with a budget of $103 million. The 2018 film marked the first time a Black female director had made a film with a budget over $100 million.[video_embed id='2002688']BEFORE YOU GO: Natalie Portman is excited to 'get jacked' to play Mighty Thor[/video_embed]
