The Marvels Director Nia DaCosta Says She Is 'Marvel Trash,' Grew Up With The Characters
Nia DaCosta, known for her work on this year's "Candyman," is currently directing "The Marvels," the follow-up to 2019's smash hit "Captain Marvel." She's taking a big step up, directing a massive superhero sequel set within the confines of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. As it turns out, the filmmaker is prepared for the gig, as she is self-proclaimed "Marvel trash."
The director recently spoke with Inverse and she was asked about how versed she was with the Marvel Comics canon. DaCosta was not at all shy about declaring that she has been entrenched in this universe for much of her life, saying the following:
"I like to call myself Marvel trash. Actually, my friends call me that. I will go see all the movies. Even if it's bad, I'm like, 'Well, there are some good things about this.' I grew up with the comics. I grew up watching the Spider-Man cartoon and the Fantastic Four. I knew a lot about the Marvel universe in general."
Speaking further, DaCosta spoke specifically about the nature of her research for the film. It had to do with diving into the history of Carol Danvers, in addition to Monica Rambeau, who will be a big part of the sequel.
"My research was going into the history of Carol Danvers first and foremost, because it is a crazy wild ride, what they did to her in the comics in the '80s. And then with Monica, she's really fun, her origin story and her introduction in the comics. I tried to not get overwhelmed because, as with most comic book heroes, there are like seven different origin stories and there's different power sets that kind of contradict and don't really overlap well. It was really choosing what's been established already in terms of the MCU and then what's going to work, most compellingly, for our story. You read enough so you can stop reading, in a way."
Living the Research
A term like "Marvel trash" could be taken as an ugly thing at face value. However, it seems DaCosta is saying it with reverence here. She lives, eats, and breathes this stuff, and was doing so long before she ever could have dreamed of directing a sequel to a $1 billion blockbuster. It's certainly not a requirement to love Marvel stuff this much to become a good MCU director, but it can't possibly hurt. At the very least, we know she's got the passion for it.
"Captain Marvel" was directed by Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden, who did not return for the sequel. Instead, DaCosta got the gig, largely off the back of "Candyman," which hadn't even been released at the time of her hiring. She is now set to become the youngest person to direct an MCU movie. That's not small feat.
Plot details are largely being kept under wraps but it will be a team flick this time around, with Brie Larson's Carol Danvers/Captain Marvel at the center. Teyonah Parris will also return as a superpowered Monica Rambeau following her turn in "WandaVision," with Iman Vellani starring as Kamala Khan, with her "Ms. Marvel" series also on the horizon.
"The Marvels" is currently set to hit theaters on February 17, 2023.