In what is sure to be a very welcome addition to the ongoing Marvel Cinematic Universe, director Nia DaCosta, who directed the highly anticipated Candyman reboot, has now signed on to direct the upcoming Captain Marvel sequel. The script is being written by Megan McDonnell, a story editor on the forthcoming Marvel Diney+ series WandaVision, with Brie Larson returning to star as the title character.
The hiring of DaCosta is another step towards diversity for Marvel, with the studio aiming to add diversity to their movies both in front of and behind the camera. Based on the first Captain Marvel, Captain Marvel 2 is sure to be one of the biggest budgeted blockbuster movies to be helmed by a black female director, and demonstrates that Marvel are following up on diversity aims that they have set themselves recently.
Director Nia DaCosta’s star has been on the rise since the 2018 modern western Little Woods, an indie movie starring Tessa Thompson and Lily James. The critically acclaimed crime drama put her on the map, eventually catching the attention of Get Out and Us director, Jordan Peele, who reportedly hand-picked DaCosta to helm the retelling of the 1992 cult horror classic Candyman, which is due for release later this year.
Nia DaCosta takes over the story of Captain Marvel from the first movie’s directing pair Anna Boden, Ryan Fleck, who introduced audiences to the character last year. The first Captain Marvel follows Carol Danvers as she becomes one of the universe’s most powerful heroes when Earth is caught in the middle of a galactic war between two alien races. Set in the 1990s, Captain Marvel simultaneously takes the MCU into the past while teasing the future, giving fans a glimpse of the wider universe and the intergalactic goings-on, as well as introducing one of the MCU’s most powerful heroes.
The movie stars Brie Larson as Danvers/Captain Marvel, alongside a digitally de-aged Samuel L. Jackson reprising his role as Nick Fury. Making up the supporting cast is a scene-stealing Ben Mendelsohn, as well as Djimon Hounsou, Lee Pace, Lashana Lynch, Gemma Chan, Annette Bening, Clark Gregg, and Jude Law.
Though much is yet known about the direction of Captain Marvel 2, previous reports have indicated that the sequel will take place in the present-day and could potentially set up the next Avengers movie following the events of Avengers: Endgame.
“The making of a first film is in some ways a brainstorm on the future and on what can be,” Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige said back in March. “So what it will be again is not clear. But what it could be is pretty amazing.”
Captain Marvel grossed over $1 billion at the global box office when it debuted in 2019 and was met with favorable reviews from critics. “[She is] probably the most dynamic character that I’ve ever played. We’ll see what the movie is, but as of now it’s been the most range I’ve ever played in a character,” Larson said of playing the Marvel superhero back in 2018. “I’ve had to go through every emotion possible with her…That’s what I want: I want to see complicated female characters. I want to see myself, which is not a simple person. I surprise myself constantly by what’s happening and what’s coming up, so hopefully that’s what comes out on screen.”
Captain Marvel 2 is expected to hit theaters in 2022. This comes to us from Deadline.
