According to The Verge, the Fruitvale Station and Creed director will helm an Afro-futuristic Black Panther film for Marvel. However, there are sources like Variety, who has retracted their confirmation of the director. Marvel has not made an official announcement but the Empire interview reveals that the job will most likely go to Coogler.
The director has been in talks about helming the film for most of year after Ava DuVernay turned down the job completely.
“This one is important,” Feige said in an interview with Empire Magazine. “Not only do you get an unbelievable lead character, but you also get all of Wakanda which is a whole new setting and culture to explore.”
The film will be the first Marvel film to be directed by a Black filmmaker and it will also be the first film starring a Black lead and majority Black cast.
Shadow and Act reports that Disney/Marvel wanted a Black director for this – “preferably a *hot* Black director, given all the names that have been reportedly in the mix (rumored or otherwise) since the film was officially announced – including Ava DuVernay (coming off of Selma). And Coogler is certainly on fire right now following Creed‘s solid reception at the box office, grossing close to $100 million thus far.”
The film is allegedly going to be a geopolitical-action-thriller and adventure similar to the Captain America films.
‘The movie is a big geopolitical action adventure that focuses on the family and royal struggle of T’Challa in Wakanda and what it means to be a king,” Feige said.
This year has proven to be full of exciting Black Panther news. 2016 will have the Wakandan king in the pages of comics once more with Ta-Nehisi Coates penning his exploits and 2018 will see the character appear on the silver screen along with his other Marvel cohorts.
All hail the king!
