Nia DaCosta, the director of The Marvels, discussed her experience directing her first Marvel film and the level of creative freedom she had within the MCU. In a recent interview with Variety, DaCosta mentioned that she reached out to directors who had worked on previous Marvel projects, such as Chloé Zhao, James Gunn, and Taika Waititi, for advice on whether to take on The Marvels. The 33-year-old director initially had some reservations about collaborating with executive producer Kevin Feige for the first time.
She clarified that the movie primarily adheres to Feige’s vision and direction, despite her position as the director, acknowledging her decision to step back.
The Marvel’s sequel is called Captain Marvel. It features Brie Larson as Carol Danvers/Captain Marvel, Teyonah Parris as Monica Rambeau, and Iman Vellani as Kamala Khan/Miss Marvel. The three characters join forces to investigate their powers that are not working properly. The movie also stars Zawe Ashton, Park Seo-Joon, and Samuel L. Jackson.
DaCosta also reached out to Shangi Chi director Destin Daniel Cretton for support during filming due to feelings of being overwhelmed and stressed about the production process.
With the release of the sequel, DaCosta faces significant pressure for success due to the first Captain Marvel film’s impressive box office earnings of over $1 billion worldwide, making it the first female-led superhero film to achieve such a milestone. Furthermore, superhero films this year have generally been performing below expectations at the box office, such as Marvel’s Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, which fell short of breaking even by $124 million.
DaCosta’s comments have generated differing opinions among fans and critics. Some have suggested that her remarks indicate a possible box office disappointment for The Marvels, while others have commended the director for her candor and open-mindedness.
During an interview earlier this year, DaCosta stated that The Marvels’ upbeat and humorous tone would alleviate “superhero fatigue” for Marvel movies.
