For the first time since 2010, it’s been over a year since the world has seen a Marvel Studios film. Still, even in the coronavirus pandemic-induced offseason, the Marvel Cinematic Universe continues to make headlines.
Deadline reports that Marvel has tapped Candyman director Nia DaCosta to helm the heavily anticipated Captain Marvel sequel. The second Captain Marvel film does not currently have a name but is being targeted for a July 8, 2022 release date. That could change should Disney need to adjust the MCU schedule further due to virus lockdowns.
According to Deadline, Marvel cast a wide net for Captain Marvel sequel directors but a weekend meeting between DaCosta and Marvel chief Kevin Feige sealed the deal. Just 30 years old, DaCosta broke through with her 2019 film Little Woods. She is set to follow that up with Candyman, a Jordan Peele-produced reboot of 1992 horror film of the same name. DaCosta co-wrote and directed that project. Originally scheduled for release in the U.S. for June 12, 2020, Candyman has since been moved back to October 16, 2020.
Once confirmed, DaCosta will continue Marvel’s tradition of bringing in promising fresh-faced directors for subsequent films within its many superhero franchises. DaCosta will take over for original Captain Marvel directors Ana Boden and Ryan Fleck. She will also continue Marvel’s recent tradition of finding a more diverse set of perspectives involved in major creative roles in its films. Though Captain Marvel 2 is in pre-production and the budget is unknown, it is extremely likely to become the most expensive movie ever directed by a black woman, surpassing Ava DuVernay’s A Wrinkle in Time.
The second Captain Marvel film was written by Megan McDonnell, a staff writer on Disney+’s Marvel series WandaVision. Brie Larson will return in the titular role.
Captain Marvel first premiered in March of 2019. Despite being a prequel to the main series and arriving between two final Avengers “Infinity Saga” installments, Captain Marvel performed marvelously at the box office. In fact, it is one of eight Marvel films to garner over $1 billion at the global box office, alongside Captain America: Civil War, Iron Man 3, Black Panther, Avengers: Age of Ultron, The Avengers, Avengers: Infinity War, and Avengers: Endgame.
This could be the last bit of Marvel news for a while, save for any additional release date adjustments. The studio currently has Black Window, The Eternals, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, an untitled Spider-Man sequel, Thor: Love and Thunder, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, and Black Panther II still on the docket.