Hidden Figures Director On Whether He'd Still Make A Marvel Movie

02/20/2017 10:14 am EST

Jon Watts is directing Spider-Man: Homecoming for Marvel Studios, but Watts wasn't the only director in the mix when Marvel was searching for a fit for the first Marvel Cinematic Universe Spider-Man movie.

One of the earlier contenders was Ted Melfi, the director of Hidden Figures, which shines a light on the untold story of three African-American women who were scientists working at NASA and were vital to the project that sent astronaut John Glenn into orbit.

Hidden Figures is nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture. Now that Melfi is the director of an "Oscar-nominated" movie, would he still consider doing something as fanciful as a Marvel Studios superhero movie?

"I think so, I hope so," Melfi said while a guest on the 4 Quadrant podcast. "I've had conversations with them since then. Marvel's a great company, I mean they do great work and they make action movies that are pretty damn fantastic. So yeah, it would just have to be the right kind of character that I can kind of find a human story inside."

So not only is Melfi game to helm a Marvel Studios movie, but he's still in contact with the studio. He also describes the kind of Marvel character that he'd like to direct. Clearly, Spider-Man fits his description of a character he can "find a human story inside." One can only speculate as to what other characters would fit that mold, but being the home of relatable and human superheroes is kind of the Marvel Universe's calling card.

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Looking at the Marvel Studios schedule, Captain Marvel is the only project without a firm director attached (unless you count The Inhumans, which may or may not still be happening as a feature film now that Marvels The Inhumans has been put into production as a television series that will premiere as an IMAX event). Beyond that, we know that Spider-Man: Homecoming is planned as the first of a trilogy of young Spider-Man movies. If Watts opts not to return, perhaps Melfi will get his shot at directing the web-slinger after all.

Beyond that is anyone's guess. Marvel Studios has been pretty tight-lipped about what its fourth phase will look like. If the studio's pattern holds, fans should probably expect to see sequels to Doctor Strange, Black Panther, and Captain Marvel. Scott Derrickson has already stated that he'd like to return to direct a sequel to Doctor Strange. It is still too early to tell what the future of Black Panther and Captain Marvel holds. Whether there are plans for future Captain America, Thor, and Guardians of the Galaxy movies, or even Iron Man 4, remains unknown.

Of course, Marvel Studios is likely to want to add some new characters to the Marvel Cinematic Universe in Phase 4 as well. We know nothing for certain, but this is to say that there are plenty of pontential Marvel Studios projects for Melfi to become involved with.

via ScreenRant

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