Marvel (Finally) Hired Its First Black Female Director With Nia Dacosta

In case you needed another reason to look forward to the new slate of films being rolled out within the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s fifth phase, here’s another one: one its biggest films will be directed by a Black woman.

Deadline reports that the MCU has scouted Nia DaCosta to helm the Captain Marvel sequel that is set to hit theaters in 2022. DaCosta will take over the reins of Carol Danvers' intergalactic adventures from directors Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, who first introduced the hero to the Marvel fandom in her epic 2019 origin story.

DaCosta's hiring is a historic one for Disney's superhero movies, marking the first time a Black woman has ever been brought on to direct a Marvel film. With few exceptions — Boden, Ryan Coogler (Black Panther), Tai Waititi (Thor: Ragnorak), Cate Shortland (Black Widow), and Chloé Zhao (The Eternals) — the Marvel blockbusters have been directed by white men.

It would appear that Disney and Marvel have been taking the conversation about in-house diversity seriously. Just last month, the franchise's very own Anthony Mackie called his employers out on their lack of Black talent across the board, pointing out the problematic optics of hiring an all-Black team for Black Panther but overlooking Black professionals for other Marvel productions.

"I’ve done seven Marvel movies where every producer, every director, every stunt person, every costume designer, every PA, every single person has been white,” Mackie shared in his Variety Actors on Actors conversation with Daveed Diggs.

"My big push with Marvel is hire the best person for the job," the Avengers actor continued. "Because it starts to build a new generation of people who can put something on their résumé to get them other jobs."

Bringing DaCosta onboard may be the very first step, and she's certainly qualified to join the team. A director and screenwriter, DaCosta's resume includes the crime western Little Woods (starring Tessa Thompson and Lily James) and the Netflix reboot of popular British drama Top Boy. DaCosta also directed the highly-anticipated Candyman remake, a terrifying spiritual sequel to the 1992 film of the same name that will see Yahya Abdul Mateen II sporting the character's iconic trench coat and bloody hook.

We're a long ways from being able to take in DaCosta's official Marvel debut in real time — Captain Marvel 2 will be a Phase Five film, and the first movie of the fourth phase (Black Widow) hasn't even hit theaters yet — but the news is a major milestone for the