MarvelStudios has been on a seemingly unstoppable roll ever since they launched the massiveMarvel Cinematic Universein 2008 withIron Man. As successful as the studio has been, there has still been a fair share of criticism regarding diversity in the MCU, both in front of and behind the camera. The studio has taken the first steps to change all of that, by announcing their first movies lead by an African-American (Black Panther) and a female (Captain Marvel), as part of their massivePhase Threeslate.
While neither project has a director yet, the studio had been considering African-American filmmakersAva DuVernay(Selma) andF. Gary Gray(Straight Outta Compton) forBlack Panther, but neither filmmaker is currently in the running. Most recently, arumorsurfaced thatRyan Coogler(Fruitvale Station,Creed) is the studio’s top candidate, but nothing has been confirmed yet. While we wait to see who eventually signs on to take the helm ofBlack Panther, one of the MCU’s only African-American stars,Anthony Mackie, revealed in an interview withThe Daily Beastthat he doesn’t think the studio necessarily needs to find a black director forBlack Panther.
“I don’t think it’s important at all. As a director your job is to tell a story. You know, they didn’t get a horse to directSeabiscuit! The thing is I don’t think the race of the director has to do with their ability to tell a story. I think it’s all about the director’s ability to be able to relate to that story and do it justice. I think men can direct women, and two of my greatest work experiences were with female directors. So I think it all depends. May the best man-or woman-win.”
Fans will be first introduced toBlack Panther, played byChadwick Boseman, in next year’sCaptain America: Civil War, which also starsAnthony Mackieas The Falcon, along with most of theAvengers: Age of Ultronstars and many more new and familiar characters alike.Anthony Mackiehas become an MCU staple since debuting inCaptain America: The Winter Soldier, appearing inAvengers: Age of UltronandAnt-Man, but as it turns out, the actor never knows when he’ll be called upon next. Here’s what he had to say, when what he knows about the future of the MCU.
“All we know is everyone who was in the firstGuardians of the Galaxyis inGuardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.Spider-Manis inSpider-Man. You don’t know who else is in it. They know. But like, when I was inAnt-Man, I didn’t know I was inAnt-Man. I just got a call fromKevin (Feige)saying, ‘Hey, what are you doing next weekend?’ When we did Avengers, I didn’t know I was in Avengers. I just got a call: ‘Hey! What are you doing in two weeks?’ I am now an Avenger. But no one tells me anything. You never know when they’re going to call you, you just want to be ready when they do.”
Black Pantherwon’t hit theaters until July 25, 2025, so the studio still has plenty of time to find a director. Marvel recently brought onJoe Robert Cole, a product of the studio’s writer’s program, to write theBlack Pantherscript, and a report from earlier this month revealed that the studio won’t search for a director until the script is finished. What do you think aboutAnthony Mackie’sBlack Panthercomments?
