There are a handful of upcoming films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe which are at various stages of production and most of the films we know are in the pipeline already have directors and/or cast attached. Based on what we have seen with previous Marvel properties, they have a story and a character that could be the right fit for several different directing styles. These films truly run the gamut, from the director of
Elf, Jon Favreau, taking on
Iron Man, to a director known primarily for Shakespearean fare, Kenneth Branagh, stepping outside his wheelhouse to helm the intergalactic
Thor. So what's next?
Knowing Marvel head-honcho Kevin Fiege has said they have films mapped out all the way to 2028, there's plenty of possibilities for new properties (and, of course, sequels) to make the jump from the comics to the silver screen. Let's take a look at a few of these prospective upcoming films and also at a few candidates for potential directors to helm them.
Today's Topic: MS. MARVEL
(Top Picks: Doug Liman, Quentin Tarantino, Kathryn Bigelow, Patty Jenkins, Len Wiseman, Alfonso Cuaron, Ridley Scott)
Who says that a woman has to direct Marvel's first female-led film? Doug Liman (The Bourne Identity, Edge of Tomorrow) could inject a great, fast-paced feel to a Ms. Marvel flick. A great thriller a-la Bourne could easily make up an origin story starring Carol Danvers. Plus, if fan-favorite (and often-rumored) Ms. Marvel casting choice Emily Blunt were indeed picked to take on the role, it would reunite her with her Edge of Tomorrow director.
Can you picture what a Ms. Marvel film directed by Quentin Tarantino (Kill Bill, Django Unchained) would look like? The Bride herself already packed a punch and that was without superpowers. Tarantino does have a history of bringing strong (often times female) characters to the big screen, but some might say this would be an unlikely director choice for Marvel. Then again, Tarantino was reportedly approached to direct Iron Man a few years before Jon Favreau was ultimately locked in.
Now, some may ask, how could you launch a major property like Ms. Marvel and not have a female director on board? While there are many possible choices out there, Kathryn Bigelow (The Hurt Locker, Zero Dark Thirty) would be an amazing pick. Bigelow taking Danvers from Air Force to Superhero would surely be an intense ride and she has the know-how to make it work. How would Bigelow make the jump from ultra-serious movie fare to comic book movies? Perhaps a nudge from her Hurt Locker star and Avengers member Jeremy Renner could bring her on board. Maybe her Zero Dark Thirty lead Jessica Chastain takes on the role of Ms. Marvel and really gets the wheels turning.
Patty Jenkins (Monster) would be another interesting choice to direct Ms. Marvel. Marvel Studios actually locked her in to direct Thor: The Dark World, after the film was quickly nearing filming and other deals had fallen through. She left the project, however, due to "creative differences". Now, this might get you thinking about a certain Edgar Wright/Ant-Man debacle, but Jenkins herself said that she and Marvel parted ways on good terms and that she hopes to work with them again soon. The question is, does Marvel think the feeling is mutual?
Bringing Len Wiseman (Live Free or Die Hard, Underworld, Total Recall) on board could provide a director who has experience with female-led/female-heavy action films. He's worked with Kate Beckinsale as an ass-kicking vampire in the Underworld series as well as the so-so received Total Recall remake. He was actually one of the names in negotiation with Marvel to direct Iron Man. Wiseman would surely have a great point-of-view on Ms. Marvel and could really let her shine as one of the major females in the Marvel Universe.
After last year's success with a visually stunning outer-space adventure (which also just so happens to have been female-led), Alfonso Cuaron (Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Pan's Labybrinth, Gravity) could really bring weight to the cosmic side of Ms. Marvel. If Cuaron's space in Ms. Marvel looked half as good as it did in Gravity, audiences would be in for quite the visual epic.
If there's one director who knows big-time space movies and epic storytelling it's Ridley Scott (Alien, Gladiator, Black Hawk Down, Prometheus). This guy is pretty much a "set-in-space" legend. Alien and Prometheus are both great, female-led properties which would serve as a great guide to this particular characters journey. But would Scott make the jump to comic book films? Well, helming a successful Ms. Marvel film might finally make up for the so-so (to put it nicely) response to another of his female-led films, G.I. Jane.
In the end, Marvel is a huge machine right now and some may argue that you could plop just about any director into any of its films and the Marvel name would guarantee box office gold. What do you think? Who are some of your hopefuls for directing Ms. Marvel?