Marvel’s finally confirmed a director for Black Panther, setting Ryan Coogler to take the helm of the comic book-inspired film starring Chadwick Boseman. Coogler earned critical acclaim with his 2013 breakthrough film Fruitvale Station starring Michael B. Jordan and followed that up with Creed, again starring Jordan alongside Sylvester Stallone as Rocky Balboa. And while Stallone forgot to thank his director on his first trip to the stage to accept the Best Supporting Actor award at the Golden Globes (he went back up during the commercial break and corrected that error), Marvel’s acknowledging Coogler’s talent by adding him to the roster of filmmakers who’ve overseen movies based on their material.
Boseman will first appear as Black Panther in Captain America: Civil War opening on May 6. The stand-alone Black Panther film is scheduled to hit theaters on February 16, 2018.
“We are fortunate to have such an esteemed filmmaker join the Marvel family,” stated producer Kevin Feige. “The talents Ryan showcased in his first two films easily made him our top choice to direct Black Panther. Many fans have waited a long time to see Black Panther in his own film, and with Ryan we know we’ve found the perfect director to bring T’Challa’s story to life.”
Marvel’s description of Black Panther: “Black Panther has been an important character in the Marvel universe for 50 years. He is the king of the technologically-advanced nation of Wakanda, and Panther has served as a member of the Avengers in addition to his many solo adventures.”
