Take this news with quite a large grain of salt, but rumors have hit that suggest Disney and Marvel Studios are looking at Angelina Jolie to helm the upcoming Captain Marvel solo film. Apparently, they’ve gone as far as to offer the actress-turned-director a whopping $20 million to do so.
There’s no telling how valid this new rumor is, however, as it was first reported by tabloid magazine OK! before making its way online. Their “insider” sources claim that “having a female director is a priority for [Marvel]. [Jolie] never thought she’d be in such huge demand as a director, and to be courted by Marvel after the Sony fiasco is a huge pat on the back.”
Jolie’s first two directorial efforts, 2011’s In the Land of Blood and Honey and last year’s Unbroken are a far cry from Marvel’s catalog of big budget sci-fi superhero fare, so this would certainly be a change of pace for her. Still, it could happen. For one, it makes sense that Marvel would seek a female director for Captain Marvel, which is their first female-centric solo film. Plus, a name like Jolie’s would certainly capture the attention of moviegoers who aren’t familiar with the lesser-known property.
That being said, $20 million is a lot of money, especially when you consider Marvel’s trend of hiring lower profile (okay, cheaper) talent like Joss Whedon, James Gunn and the Russo brothers. Jolie did make Disney a ton of money with last year’s Maleficent though, so perhaps that was enough to earn her a bit of goodwill with the studio.
Tell us, if there is validity to this new rumor, would you like to see someone like Jolie tackle Captain Marvel? Let us know in the comments section below.