Alex Carter
The Marvels director Nia DaCosta has shared an unexpected and exciting aspect of working in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In an exclusive interview with Vanity Fair, DaCosta revealed that directing the latest MCU installment has garnered her more praise from Hollywood power players than any of her previous work.
“I’ve come to realize that it’s not about the power I accumulate or the number of great movies I make, or even if I win awards. It’s always been about the people I surround myself with,” DaCosta said. “What has surprised me the most recently is the level of respect I’m receiving from these middle-aged white dudes that I work with.”
DaCosta had previously mentioned the support she received from MCU veterans such as James Gunn and Taika Waititi when she agreed to direct The Marvels. The director explained how the outpouring of respect from her peers was different from her experience directing the Candyman reboot in 2021. She recalled moments on set where industry professionals made inappropriate comments that were specific to her gender, race, and age.
What was The Marvels director’s biggest challenge?
While DaCosta found many positives in directing an MCU movie, she also found the task to be daunting. Having previously directed several independent films before Candyman, DaCosta discovered that the biggest challenge as a director was handling The Marvels’ extensive use of special effects.
“Sometimes, you’d be in a scene and think, ‘What the hell does any of this mean?’ Or an actor would be looking at something crazy happening in space, but in reality, they’re just looking at a blue X. There were definitely tough days and moments when you’d think, ‘This just isn’t working,'” DaCosta recalled.
Directed by DaCosta, The Marvels continues the story of the events from Captain Marvel and the 2022 Ms. Marvel series on Disney+. The premise revolves around Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris) investigating an intergalactic wormhole, which leads to her powers becoming entangled with Carol Danvers (Brie Larson) and Kamala Khan (Iman Vellani), resulting in a body swap. The film also features Zawe Ashton, Gary Lewis, Park Seo-Joon, and Samuel L. Jackson.
The Marvels is set to hit theaters on November 10.
