By Continuing the trend of hiring indie directors to helm blockbuster films, Variety broke news today that Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck have been hired to co-direct Captain Marvel. The duo has been collaborating together since meeting in film school in New York more than a decade ago. Their films include 2006’s Half Nelson (which co-starred Anthony Mackie, who now plays Sam “Falcon” Wilson in the MCU) and more recently a the gamblin’ road movie Mississippi Grind.
According to Variety, Boden and Fleck impressed Marvel Studios execs with their ideas about Captain Marvel as a character and where they’d like to take this material. Variety also notes that the duo’s familiarity with both film and TV production were seen as a major plus. I’ve noticed some other sources mention that Boden and Fleck could have been the team that brought us Guardians of the Galaxy, though Marvel ultimately chose James Gunn instead.
In case you were wondering about Boden and Fleck’s work, I’ve included trailers for Half Nelson and Mississippi Grind below.
I’ve got to hand it to Kevin Feige and the other heads at Marvel Studios. I like this focus on new voices and indie filmmakers. That’s what brought the Russo brothers and Gunn to the MCU, and it’s also what led to Taika Waititi directing Thor: Ragnarok (aka Thor: Metal as F**k). Wonder what Borden and Fleck have in mind for Carol Danvers.
What do you think about this decision? Let us know in the comments.
[via Variety]