Entertainment

Will Angelina Jolie Direct 'Captain Marvel'?

by Jennifer Still

What words do you think of when you think of Angelina Jolie? Beautiful, intelligent, and talented come to mind immediately for me, but also superhero. After all, she's overcome some incredibly difficult times in her life to become the successful mother, actress and activist she is today. How she does it all, most of us mere mortals will never understand — I certainly don't. But her ability to juggle it all and then some stuck out to me when I heard the amazing news that Jolie is in the running to direct Captain Marvel, an upcoming Marvel comic heading to the big screen. Can you think of a more perfect pairing?

Captain Marvel follows the story of a regular human woman who becomes a bit more than that after receiving superpowers given to her upon a visit to the alien Kree Empire. What else the movie holds in store is yet to be discovered, given that it's not due to hit theaters until 2018, but I know all I need to know already. Having a movie about a strong female superhero directed by a strong female director and human being? I'm all for it.

Jolie's involvement in Captain Marvel seems like an almost obvious choice, and, while nothing is set in stone just yet, there's no denying she'd make the most of this project.

She's a Woman, Duh

Being a woman doesn't automatically make you right for a job, but it does when we're talking about directing a movie about a woman. Who understands us better than ourselves? Jolie will make sure the female lead is portrayed as an actual woman and not a two-dimension character or narrative prop, as is sadly the case in many superhero films.

She's Got the Directorial Chops

Captain Marvel wouldn't be Jolie's first time at the directorial rodeo — she's already won critics over with her skills at the helm of Unbroken and The Land of Blood and Honey. Plus, she's got two more movies on her director's to-do list, so she's got more than it takes to make Captain Marvel a winner.

She Knows What Kids Find Entertaining

Marvel Studios may not put out movies with small children in mind, but kids of all ages find superhero movies exciting and they make up a good portion of the audience. With six children of her own, Jolie is pretty tuned into what they find cool and, conversely, what's too lame to even bother with. She'll be able to increase the appeal to all age groups, which could be an even bigger financial win for the studio, as well.

It's a Completely New Realm For Her

Sure, Jolie has played Lara Croft in Tomb Raider before, but, when it comes to directing, she's steered more towards projects that focus on true stories that need to be told about underrepresented communities and people around the world. Taking on Captain Marvel could be a fun new realm for her, and bring out more creative brilliance we've yet to see from her.

She'll Balance the Sexism Scales a Bit

Let's be real: the great majority of Hollywood blockbusters are still being directed by men. Having a woman at the helm of a female superhero movie would tip the scales just a bit more towards the center when it comes to women's place in the industry, and could open doors for other female directors to take on big name projects in future.

She'll Make a Movie With a Message

Jolie has never been shy about her activism for women, girls and the underprivileged around the world, and no doubt she'd find a way to invoke extra spirit and important messages in Captain Marvel without being too obvious or in-your face. A Captain Marvel directed by Jolie would have plenty of heart and would likely make you think, as well as being entertaining.

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