"Fruitvale Station" indie hit helmer eyed to direct "Black Panther"

PanARMENIAN.Net - While "Black Panther" will certainly happen, there is no director attached to tackle the project just yet. As AceShowbiz reports citing Heroic Hollywood, Ryan Coogler, the director of Sundance indie hit "Fruitvale Station", is being eyed by Marvel to helm the upcoming superhero movie.

While it's unclear whether an offer has been made, the site reports that Coogler is the studio's top contender for the directing gig. However, the report makes sense as Coogler had previously hinted that he was willing to work on big commercial fare.

"Selma" helmer Ava DuVernay was once attached to direct, but she passed on the project due to creative differences. F. Gary Gray was also reported to be in contention before he decided to direct "Fast and Furious 8". Earlier this month, Joe Robert Cole ("American Crime Story") was reportedly in negotiations to write the screenplay.

"Black Panther" stars Chadwick Boseman as the titular hero a.k.a. T'Challa, from the fictional African nation of Wakanda. Boseman's Black Panther will be introduced in next year's "Captain America: Civil War" before appearing in his solo film, which is slated for a U.S. release on July 6, 2018.