Ava DuVernay Turns Down Marvel

Sad news, Marvel fans, and film fans, and really just everyone — Selma director Ava DuVernay will not be directing Black Panther, one of the upcoming films in the MCU. "I'm not signing on to direct Black Panther," DuVernay comfirmed with Essence Magazine, "I think I'll just say we had different ideas about what the story would be. Marvel has a certain way of doing things, and I think they're fantastic and a lot of people love what they do. I loved that they reached out to me."

A Black Panther film is currently in the works, starring Chadwick Boseman, who will be appearing in Captain America: Civil War. Boseman will play T'Challa, the ruler of the fictional nation Wakanda, and the first Black superhero to star in a mainstream comic book franchise in the '60s. This will also mark the first solo superhero film in the MCU starring an actor of color, and it would have been incredible to have DuVernay at the helm.

An exciting franchise for "firsts" in both Marvel comics and the Marvel Cinematic Universe, to have the first Black female superhero film director would have made the project even more exciting.

“I loved meeting Chadwick and writers and all the Marvel execs,” DuVernay said, “In the end, it comes down to story and perspective. And we just didn't see eye to eye. Better for me to realize that now than cite creative differences later.”

Despite her rejection of the offer, DuVernay affirms her support for the film: “I love the character of Black Panther, the nation of Wakanda and all that that could be visually. I wish them well and will be first in line to see it."

Though we will not be getting to see DuVernay's interpretation of Black Panther, we still have a lot of her work to look forward to. She is currently filming a love story set in New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina, and she will definitely slay whatever comes her way.

Image: Getty Images