Nia DaCosta may be directing blockbuster sequel The Marvels as we speak, but the fast-rising filmmaker has been a comic book aficionado in general all her life, long before she was hired to tackle the upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe epic that’s well-placed to force the naysayers to put away the knives they’ve no doubt been sharpening since the credits faded to black on the opener.
The Candyman director admitted that she got carried away during her first meetings with the studio and started pitching all sorts of wild and crazy crossover ideas she’d love to see happen, but you can’t fault her enthusiasm. During a recent interview with Inverse, DaCosta shared her thoughts on what makes a great superhero that fans can fully get behind and invest in.
“Someone who’s trying their best with the information and resources and tools they have at the time. They’ll always get it wrong. Heroes are complicated in a real-world sense because they are basically vigilantes; they don’t have any oversight. Half the time no one’s even asking for their help. It’s tricky in that way, but integrity is a big part of it, choosing to put others before yourself, that sort of thing. In terms of the most successful heroes, no matter how much power you have, you never really have control over yourself. That’s something you see in characters like Magneto, for example. His emotional life is always going to overpower his actual power.”
DaCosta’s measured response stands The Marvels in good stead, especially when the characterization of Brie Larson’s Carol Danvers was regularly singled out as one of the first installment’s weakest aspects. Now that the former Air Force pilot is fully integrated into the MCU, though, it’s time for the shackles to really come off.
The Marvels has all the potential in the world to turn out as something special, and it’s reassuring to know that such a noted fan of the source material is at the helm of the project.
