‘Captain Marvel’ Won’t Find a Director Until Next Year

Originally, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige expected to have selected a director for the upcoming Captain Marvel film starring Brie Larson by the end of 2016 but it seems that is no longer the case. The studio has already met with filmmakers who could potentially direct the project, however, it was when Marvel only had an idea of what film they were going to make. Per a tweet from Variety reporter Justin Kroll, we now know the Marvel has a treatment being developed with plans to continue the selection process to choose the right director after the new year.

It’s good to know the studio is taking their time, making sure they develop a plan and get things right as opposed to other franchises that make their decisions based on audiences reactions to their films. The character of Captain Marvel is an incredibly important character as she will be Marvel’s first female superhero leading a film within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Marvel is looking for someone who can do more than just look good while in action.

With Larson in the role, she will no doubt bring an emotional depth that could help the film transcend the superhero genre (even as fantastical as the character is — flying around blasting energy from her hands as she defends the earth from alien threats) and make the first female lead Marvel feature stand out as something more than just another comic book movie.

Captain Marvel is slated to hit theaters March 8, 2019.

Captain Marvel Update: Studio getting treatment on script soon. Meetings with directing candidates to follow but not till the new year

— Justin Kroll (@krolljvar) December 14, 2016

Kevin Feige on The Importance Of Diversity in the MCU

President of Marvel Studios Kevin Feige (our lord and savior) has helped make comic book movies some of the most profitable films of all time. Feige cut his teeth in the early days before the Marvel Cinematic Universe was established. He produced such films as Spider-Man 2 and Fantastic Four, learning what worked and what didn’t work. Today he continues to guide the MCU, reaching new heights with every film. Both Captain America: Civil War and Doctor Strange were both smash hits and helped solidify the MCU’s new standard of quality first reached with Captain America: Winter Solider.

Feige has managed to cast an absurd amount of A-list talent in the MCU including Robert Downey Jr., Mark Ruffalo, Anthony Hopkins, Robert Redford, Scarlett Johannson, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Tilda Swinton. As incredible as the cast of the MCU is, there’s one major problem. They are all white.

The upcoming Marvel’s Black Panther solo feature will begin to offset that trend with a cast that includes Chadwick Boseman, Forest Whitaker, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong’o, and Angela Bassett. While speaking with Variety, Feige expressed the importance of moving forward with a more diverse cast and crew not just racially, but in terms of gender as well:

“When you look at “Black Panther” — when you look at “Captain Marvel,” which will be Brie Larson in the title role — it is a very important thing for us to have diversity both in front of the camera and behind the camera.”

On the subject of Captain Marvel which stars Brie Larson, Feige also added:

“Having a female director at the helm to tell the story of a woman who is also our most powerful hero by far is very important to us.”

While Hollywood and Marvel still have a long way to go, Marvel is already making strides as it recently announced every episode of season two of its female-led series, Jessica Jones will be directed by women.

This year also saw the release of season one of Luke Cage which featured a primarily African-American cast while at the same time remaining inclusive to every race. The series featured an Emmy-worthy performance from actress Alfre Woodard as well as Rosario Dawson and Simone Missick in major parts. But what was exceptional about the series set in Harlem was the way it took hip-hop culture and engrained it into the story, becoming an integral part of the narrative.

SOURCE: VARIETY

Marvel’s Agenda Supports Gender Equality Says Exec VP

Marvel has long presented characters that have pushed the boundaries of all creation, suffered the indignity of discrimination, and fought for their rights on every battle field available, side-by-side, a mighty conglomerate front for change. Now, outside the pages of our beloved comic books, avatars for equality are rallying together. Gender inequality in Hollywood is still a real, live entity, and thankfully (speaking as a woman in the industry, myself) these issues are continuously being brought into the light to be discussed publicly.

Monday, at the Women in Technology luncheon provided by the Hollywood Professional Association’s Women in Post and the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers, Marvel Productions’ Executive Vice President of Physical Production, Victoria Alonso, spoke about Marvel’s role in influencing Hollywood towards gender equality.

“We have had gender inequality for some time. It wasn’t always talked about ….  In the past year, it bubbled up and it’s no longer acceptable to women and some men. …Change is needed and hopefully we can make a balanced Hollywood for the next generation.”

With the recent, strong showing of female presence in the Marvel projects of late including the efforts of its Netflix show, Jessica Jones, which will feature an all women line up of directors for its second season, and Captain Marvel, the first Marvel film to feature a female lead, it seems gender equality is becoming reality sooner than later.

Other studios, such as Warner Bros. are also answering the call to action in Wonder Woman, due out June 2nd, 2017 as well as Justice League due out November 17, 2017.

“I don’t want to be the only [woman]  in the room,” Alonso added. “Our rooms should be 50/50. If any of you — men or women — can lift [women] up, we’ll all be better for it.”

Alonso was also careful to mention the men who were in attendance at the luncheon:

“You are important change makers. When you wonderful men say ‘balance is necessary.’ …You open that door and the product is going to be better [with varied perspectives].”

With continuing discussions revolving around the need for gender equality in the movie industry receiving much deserved attention, and the efforts of Marvel being so warmly received with the many successes of its heroines behind and before the cameras, I’m anticipating the kind of change that will lend an abundance of success for us all to share.

SOURCE: THR

‘Avengers: Infinity War’ Adds Benedict Wong

Marvel is adding some more magic to the upcoming Avengers: Infinity War. The production is set to get underway next month in Atlanta for a May 2018 release. The film is already going to be jam packed with superheroes galore but that isn’t stopping Marvel from putting more into the mix.

In an interview with Comicbook.com, actor Benedict Wong — who plays Doctor Strange’s faithful aid, Wong — revealed that he will indeed be appearing in Infinity War.

I’m thrilled I’m going to be in Infinity War. I’m looking forward to, I’ll tell you that one first.

It is already known that Doctor Strange will be appearing alongside the Avengers as they are set to take on Thanos in his quest to find the Infinity Gems. It’s exciting to see a new Avengers team starting to take shape with the addition of Strange, Wong and Captain Marvel — who will also be introduced in the film as well. The addition of magic along with the powers Captain Marvel possesses will no doubt up the ante in the battle against Thanos.

To see the full interview head on over to Comicbook.com.

Avengers: Infinity War hits theaters May 4, 2018.

SOURCE: COMICBOOK.COM

Kevin Feige on ‘Captain Marvel’ Director; Strongest Superhero Yet

Marvel is still taking its time finding a director for its first female lead superhero film, Captain Marvel. After the studio announced Brie Larson in the title role at Comic-Con, several sources confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter that the studio had it zeroed in on three female directors —  Niki Caro (Whale Rider),  Lorene Scafaria (Seeking a Friend for the End of the World) and Lesi Linka Glatter (Homeland). As of today, the studio has still not made its decision, however. Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige has promised they will have made their choice by the end of the year.

In an interview with Vulture, Feige was asked what the holdup was. His response:

I expect to have a director by the end of the year. We’ve been meeting amazing filmmakers, but often the way we work, as was the case on Doctor Strangeand most of our movies, is that we have a … I don’t want to say a ‘road map,’ but we have a general view of what the movie is and then we meet with filmmakers and share that with them and then they pitch it back to us in a better fashion.

The movie won’t release until March 8, 2019, so the studio still has a while before cameras roll, however. It is expected that we will get our introduction to the character a year prior in Avengers Infinity War. 

Feige also expressed why Larson was it was so important to have Larson in the role.

It’s very important to us that all of our heroes do not become silhouette-perfect cutout icons. All of the Marvel characters have flaws to them, all of them have a deep humanity to them. With Captain Marvel, she is as powerful a character as we’ve ever put in a movie. Her powers are off the charts, and when she’s introduced, she will be by far the strongest character we’ve ever had. It’s important, then, to counterbalance that with someone who feels real. She needs to have a humanity to tap into, and Brie can do that.

I hate to draw comparisons to D.C., but while I was totally captivated by Gal Gadot’s performance (in the brief screen time we got of her in BvS), she didn’t do much besides save the day and kick Doomsday’s ass. It’s good to know that Marvel is looking for someone who can do more than just look good while in action. Larson will no doubt bring an emotional depth that could help the film transcend the superhero genre (even as fantastical as the character is — flying around blasting energy from her hands as she defends the earth from alien threats) and make the film as the first female lead Marvel feature stand out as something more than just another comic book movie.

Captain Marvel is slated to hit theaters March 8, 2019.

SOURCES: VULTURE, THR

‘Captain Marvel’: Origin Story Confirmed

Coming as no great surprise, President of Marvel Studios Kevin Feige has confirmed Marvel’s first female lead superhero film, Captain Marvel will be an origin story for the character. It was announced this past comic con that the film will star Academy Award-winning actress Brie Larson in the title role.

Other than that not much else is known about the film at this point, however. Last night Marvel held an exclusive fifteen minute preview for the upcoming Doctor Strange showing off footage from the film in IMAX. Afterwards, Feige confirmed a key piece of information regarding Captain Marvel while discussing the differences between the origins of The Avengers and the magical defenders of Earth.

I think Benedict [Cumberbatch] is one of those ways. Benedict is an amazing actor and totally different than Hemsworth and totally different from Downey. And, we want to stay true to who he was in the books. The metamorphosis of what he goes through is more drastic than Tony [Stark] and that was fun to chart. I guess Black Panther isn’t really an origin story since we saw him already in Civil War, but his stand alone certainly introduces you to 99% of his world which you never saw before. And Captain Marvel is certainly an origin story from the start.

Considering there are no rumors of her making a debut in any Avengers movies previous to the film’s release, we all assumed her first film would be an origin story anyway. In the comics, Carol Danvers A.K.A. ‘Captain Marvel’ was a test pilot who gained super strength and the ability to fly after being caught in an explosion with a Kree device.

Captain Marvel hits theaters March 8, 2019.