‘Black Panther’ Officially Books A Flight To Wakanda For Director Ryan Coogler
After months of rumors andfalse alarms,Marvel Studioshas finally locked down their director for the upcomingBlack Panthermovie and it’s exactly who you thought it was going to be.CreedandFruitvale StationdirectorRyan Cooglerhas officially signed on the dotted line and will be lending his talents to the Marvel Cinematic Universe soon enough.
You can say this much already: Marvel didn’t skimp out on hiring a seriously skilled filmmaker to be theirBlack Pantherdirector.
The news was revealed onMarvel’s official website, with Marvel Studios president andBlack PantherproducerKevin Feigeoffering this statement:
“We are fortunate to have such an esteemed filmmaker join the Marvel family. The talents Ryan showcased in his first two films easily made him our top choice to direct ‘Black Panther.’ Many fans have waited a long time to see Black Panther in his own film, and with Ryan we know we’ve found the perfect director to bring T’Challa’s story to life.”
Coogler got his start with the critically adored dramaFruitvale Station, but it was surelyCreedthat won him this job. In addition to being one of those nostalgia-driven sequel/reboot combos that are so hot these days,Creedwas a critical darling, a box office smash, and it’s looking like it could be a serious Oscar contender now that Sylvester Stallone took home a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor. In other words, he’s an exciting director who knows how to balance art and commerce. He’s the exact kind of filmmaker Marvel should be pursuing.
And let’s not beat around the bush: Marvel hiring a person of color to helm a movie starring their most famous black superhero is a big deal. They should be applauded for bringing more diversity into a film franchise that already has plenty of white dudes behind and in front of the camera. Nearly a decade into its existence, the MCU will live or die depending on how many unique voices it manages to cultivate. This is an important step.
Black Pantherwill star the uber-talentedChadwick Bosemanas the title superhero, the leader of the African nation of Wakanda who defends his land using powers, abilities and one badass costume that have been handed down through his family for generations. Not much is known about his solo movie, but Black Panther, aka, T’Challa, will make his MCU debut in just a few monthsas he joins the superhero vs. superhero frayinCaptain America: Civil War.Avengers: Age of Ultronalso cannily introduced Andy Serkis' Ulysses Klaw, one of Black Panther’s regular adversaries.Black Pantheris set to open onFebruary 16, 2018.
