Olivia Wilde says she would be interested in directing a Marvel movie one day. Known more for her work in front of the camera, Wilde had helmed a trio of shorts before making the leap to feature length filmmaking with Booksmart. Premiering at the 2019 SXSW Festival, the coming-of-age comedy received widespread acclaim from critics, with many hailing it as the next great high school movie. Unfortunately, Booksmart is facing an uphill climb at the box office (it came in sixth over Memorial Day weekend), but word-of-mouth is very enthusiastic and continues to spread.
With Booksmart striking a chord with viewers, it makes Wilde an upcoming director to watch. Given how beloved her debut is, she'll surely have plenty of offers on the table, potentially including some blockbusters. If Marvel Studios were to come calling, Wilde would be game to jump onboard.
In an interview with MTV International, Wilde said she'd "absolutely" make a Marvel film if she got the opportunity. She went on to express her excitement for Chloé Zhao helming the MCU's upcoming Eternals movie and said no genre should be "off the table" for women directors.
During their earliest days, one of the most common criticisms lobbied against Marvel was their lack of diversity - both in terms of the characters they adapted and the creative teams behind the films. More recently, however, the studio is beginning to make strides in that department, with Black Panther and Captain Marvel being noteworthy examples. Things should only continue to improve during Phase 4, with Cate Shortland directing the solo Black Widow movie and the aforementioned Zhao bringing Eternals to the big screen. Additionally, Marvel is no stranger to moving indie directors up to the big leagues (like James Gunn and Taika Waititi) and allowing them to inject their personal sensibilities into a massive tentpole. So, in many respects, Wilde would make sense as the next Marvel hire and if she were to join the MCU, there would be a great deal of excitement for the film.
Wilde definitely seems intrigued by the possibility, so hopefully this will come into fruition one day. Of course, a lot of it will depend on what projects Marvel has on the table and if any appeal to Wilde. Much like Gunn on Guardians of the Galaxy or Ryan Coogler on Black Panther, Wilde should feel a strong personal connection with whatever Marvel film she takes on, which would help it feel more special. It's also worth pointing out that the Marvel machine isn't for everybody. The likes of Patty Jenkins, Edgar Wright, and others passed on the MCU due to creative differences, so there's always a chance Wilde opts to make another original film a la Booksmart where she has more leeway. It'll be interesting to see how this plays out, but it would be great if Wilde could add to the Marvel legacy at some point.
Source: MTV International
