Ryan Coogler's Black Panther took the world by storm when it debuted earlier this year. Earning an insane box office haul, the movie handily became a cultural touchstone and even got people talking about Oscar potential. Now that conversation has made its way to Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige, and while he would love to see the hard work of the Black Panther crew receive recognition, he also acknowledges the limitations of the blockbuster genre during award season. In a recent interview, Feige explained:
I think there are a lot of amazing artists that helped to make that movie, and it would be wonderful if they could be recognized. Almost everyone involved in that movie, bringing that movie together, is great, and it would be wonderful to see if they're recognized. We'll see. This genre, typically not.
That's what Kevin Feige had to say during a recent chat with Vox. Black Panther potentially receiving any nomination would satisfy him because he saw all of the hard work that went into every level of production, so he's clearly not against keeping his fingers crossed for something like that. Having said that, the Oscars ceremony has historically not shown too much love to Marvel movies over the years (Black Panther hypothetically receiving a Best Picture nomination would even mark the first-ever comic book movie nomination in history), so Feige also understands how atypical something like that would truly be.
Of course, Kevin Feige has addressed the Oscar viability of the Marvel Cinematic Universe films before. In fact, the Marvel guru recently spoke out about the lack MCU's lack of Oscar wins (despite some nominations) and noted that the engagement of the fans and the widespread recognition stands out as enough of an accomplishment. Having said all of that, it's clear that Kevin Feige would still appreciate a scenario in which the artists who worked on Black Panther receive more recognition and acknowledgment for their work on Ryan Coogler's Wakanda-based epic.
The question of the Best Picture nomination is particularly interesting, as no comic book movie has ever managed to get that nomination during the run of the genre. Last year there were numerous cries from fans to have films like Wonder Woman and Logan enter consideration, and now 2018's fan front-runner (for now) looks like Black Panther.
Only time will tell if Black Panther will end up receiving any Oscar love when the nominations for the next Academy Awards ceremony begin to roll out. Until that day comes, make sure to catch Peyton Reed's Ant-Man and The Wasp, which will debut in theaters next weekend on July 6. If you want more information about Ant-Man and The Wasp, then check out our review of the film, as well as our reaction roundup from the early screenings!
