In a new interview with The Marvels director, Nia DaCosta, it was revealed that the movie would tackle some tough subjects. A sequel to 2019's Captain Marvel, the upcoming film will see Brie Larson reprise her role as Carol Danvers, a.k.a. Captain Marvel. Familiar MCU faces like Samuel L. Jackson (Nick Fury), Teyonah Parris (Monica Rambeau), and Randall Park (Jimmy Woo) will also make a return in The Marvels, in addition to newcomers like Iman Vellani as Kamala Khan, a.k.a. Ms. Marvel.

DaCosta is already making MCU history as the first—and youngest, at age 31—Black woman to direct a Marvel film. Her other major project, Candyman, is based on the long-running urban legend. It finally hits theaters on August 27th after more than a year's worth of delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic. DaCosta directed and co-wrote the film alongside esteemed horror director ,Jordan Peele (Get Out), who produced the film with his Monkeypaw Productions. A longtime fan of the genre, DaCosta was intent on making a visually interesting film distinct from the 1992 horror classic of the same name. Her version of Candymanwhile still centering around the same hook-handed killer, will expand into the history of racist violence committed against the Black community.

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While speaking with Variety, DaCosta revealed that similarly to Candyman, The Marvels will tackle tough, but important topics. While Marvel movies are typically known for their lighthearted nature, DaCosta wants to ensure some serious conversations are at the center of all her films. DaCosta's full quote can be read below:

“I can say it’s a very different beast. But I am obsessed with how we all deal with our pain and trauma, and there’s some of that in the story.”

Captain Marvel standing in her suit outside in the field

While superhero flicks might be a complete 180 from the psychological-horror genre, DaCosta is full steam ahead as filming for The Marvels began earlier this month. As of now, the movie is slotted to release in 2022 as part of Phase 4 of the MCU. But with the increasing threat of the COVID-19 Delta variant, studios might have to once again postpone their theatrical debuts. Sony was the first to delay a big movie premiere due to the Delta variant, pushing back the release date for Venom: Let There Be Carnage from September 24th to October 15th. Hopes remain high for Marvel Studios with the Hollywood Premiere of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings having just taken place on August 16th. But as moviegoers are all-too familiar with, the state of the pandemic can once again shutter theaters at any given moment.

There's a lot of potential for The Marvels, with WandaVision's breakout superhero Monica Rambeau set to play a significant role in the sequel movie. In addition to getting her own Disney+ series, Kamala Khan (Ms. Marvel), a superfan of Captain Marvel, will also be a key character in the story. As of now, not much else is known about The Marvels, but Larson herself described the film as "juicy." It will be interesting to see what exactly DaCosta means when she says the film will tackle tough subjects, but the complex Carol Danvers seems like the perfect character to explore feelings of pain, loss, and trauma. But for now, the excitement surrounding the MCU Phase 4 is only continuing to build with each new release, and with DaCosta as its all-star director, The Marvels is bound to be a hit for Marvel Studios.

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Source: Variety