After a search that’s felt like a literal eternity, Brie Larson‘s Captain Marvel is ready to take flight. The highly anticipated first female superhero solo outing from Marvel has been a speculation driver for over a year now, causing the internet to fold in on itself, creating list upon list of female directors suited for suiting up. And now, Variety is reporting that the Half Nelson and Mississippi Grind directing duo of Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck will bring the hero to life.
Later confirmed by Marvel to be official real talk business—which make sense since, y’know, Variety isn’t exactly in the business of gossip magazine-ing—Boden and Fleck join the talented ranks of the Russo Brothers, Taika Watiti, and James Gunn, all relatively small but buzzed-about directors at the time of their recruitment into the MCU. And it would also signal, alongside all these others, a continued commitment to churning out more unique and genre-twisting cinematic style.
The duo’s previous work—with Half Nelson, Grind, and their episodes of The Affair and Billions—certainly hints at a, perhaps, darker intro to Captain Marvel’s origins. (In the comics, writer Kurt Busiek actually made Carol Danvers someone who struggled with alcoholism.) But it could also signify a quieter character study (Fleck also directed several episodes of HBO’s Looking). With the script already reportedly set, it won’t be long before we see how Carol Danvers fits into the MCU (though our hope is certainly for a more intergalactic version of Captain America — but at this point we’re just glad to see this film is FINALLY happening). More than anything, we’re just really glad there’s a woman involved behind the lens—especially one with as much talent at highlighting the intimate nuances of complex characters as Boden.
Are you looking forward to Captain Marvel? What do you think of the director choice? Let us know in the comments below.
Images: Marvel
We also got a sneak peek at Captain Marvel’s costume!
Alicia Lutes is the Managing Editor of Nerdist, creator/co-host of Fangirling!, and is very excited for Captain Marvel. Find her on Twitter!
