SELMA Helmer Ava DuVernay Won't Direct Marvel's BLACK PANTHER

If you haven't seen Selma, I'd highly recommend seeking it out. It's a fantastic, timeless movie that has almost as much to do with what we're experiencing in America right now as the Civil Rights period in which it takes place. Director Ava DuVernay earned a lot of acclaim for that film, and the heat from that movie got her some meetings with Marvel about potentially directing the studio's upcoming Black Panther film starring Chadwick Boseman.

But after weeks of speculation, the director has revealed that she's passed on the project. She told Essence:

“I guess I'll declare my independence from this rumor on 4th of July weekend and Essence weekend!

I'm not signing on to direct Black Panther. I think I’ll just say we had different ideas about what the story would be. Marvel has a certain way of doing things and I think they’re fantastic and a lot of people love what they do. I loved that they reached out to me.

I loved meeting Chadwick and writers and all the Marvel execs. In the end, it comes down to story and perspective. And we just didn't see eye to eye. Better for me to realize that now than cite creative differences later.

I love the character of Black Panther, the nation of Wakanda and all that that could be visually. I wish them well and will be first in line to see it."

DuVernay was a great choice to direct this movie, but if she knows just from a few meetings this early on that her vision would clash with the studio's, it's obvious she made the right call passing on it. An official announcement about Black Panther's director should be coming soon, but since Marvel Studios is sitting out this year's San Diego Comic-Con, I imagine it'll be a little after that.