Quickly coming up on a decade of production, the Marvel Cinematic Universe is an ever expanding place. As such, plenty of A-list actors and directors have signed on to play a role in the OG shared universe. Female characters are finally getting their moment in the sun toward the end of Phase Three, with Ant-Man and The Wasp bringing Evangeline Lilly's hero into fray, Captain Marvel's intergalactic solo movie, as well a ton of female characters appearing in the next two Avengers films. And now one female actress has also expressed her interest in directing an MCU installment: Academy Award Winner Brie Larson.
Brie Larson recently made her directorial debut with Unicorn Store, which just premiered at the Toronto Film Festival. While doing press for the project, Larson was asked if she had any interest in directing an MCU blockbuster, to which she said:
Oh yeah, that's my plan. Why not? My new life philosophy is I'm not going to tell myself no. I'm just going to do stuff until someone else tells me no.
Well, that was pretty easy. While Brie Larson's directorial career is just kicking off, she's already eager to helm a major blockbuster like a Marvel movie. Ambitious? Yes. But this prospect is also pretty damn exciting.
Brie Larson's flippant comments to Huffington Post were probably a half-joke, but there has long been the cry for a female director in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The franchise's narrative has been exclusively told through the male gaze, which resulted in a lack of female-led films, as well as a lack of female directors. But we're in a post-Wonder Woman world now, and anything seems possible.
Indeed, Patty Jenkins' Wonder Woman was a game changer for the superhero genre, as well as the world of Hollywood film production. The film was the DCEU's first critical darling, while also making a ton of money at the box office. This proved that female-led superhero movies could appeal to a large audience, and made waves by having Jenkins as the first female director for a film of its size and notoriety.
While the Marvel Cinematic Universe is generally considered superior to the DCEU (after all, they've had years more practice), this is one instance where DC is a step ahead of its competitor. While female led movies (one of which is led by Brie Larson) are coming down the pipeline, there hasn't been any female directors announced for future projects. Part of this may be because Phase Four is still a giant mystery, but the push to have more women represented in the film industry is being felt.
Brie Larson is currently set to make her debut in the Marvel Cinematic Universe in Captain Marvel on March 6, 2019, but many believe she may show up in either of the next two Avengers films. In the meantime, check out our 2017 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.
