A new report not only confirms Marvel Studios is looking to hire a female director for Black Widow, but several names are already in the mix. Though Marvel has been close to hiring female directors in the past – Patty Jenkins almost made Thor: The Dark World while Ava DuVernay was in talks for Black Panther – they’ve yet to find the right creative. That will soon change, as female directors will be part of Marvel’s future. Captain Marvel, for instance, will feature duo Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck. And beyond that, there’s potential with the Black Widow solo film.


We don’t know much about Black Widow, but it appears to be in active development after years of rumors – and fan demands. When the Black Widow film was announced, it came with writer Jac Schaeffer on board. And the film, of course, has a star in Scarlett Johansson. The next major announcements for the film will be a release date and director, the former of which likely won’t be known until after Avengers 4. But now, we have a few names for who could helm the film.


THR is reporting that Marvel Studios is actively courting female directors for Black Widow. So far, the list includes Deniz Gamze Erguven (Kings), Chloe Zhao (The Rider), and Amma Asante (A United Kingdom). The trade also mentions several others are in the mix, with Variety’s Justin Kroll stating that Maggie Betts (Novitiate) and Angela Robinson (Professor Marston and the Wonder Women) are among those being considered.


Though all of the directors mentioned have industry experience (many have been writers, producers, and actors along with directing), they’re all relative up-and-comers and none have taken on a project as big as a Marvel movie. Still, we know Marvel has a crash course in blockbuster filmmaking and they’ve done a fantastic job so far bringing people up from the indies.


All the names on the list have gained critical acclaim, which seems to be more than enough for Marvel. Angela Robinson in particular is an interesting choice as she made last year’s Professor Marston and the Wonder Women, which told the story of Wonder Woman’s creation. As such, she’s already handled a fairly high-profile film that dealt with a female superhero.


Beyond the report on the directors being sought, we’ve recently learned a bit more about what the story of Black Widow could be. Apparently, Black Widow will be a prequel that explores the early days of the spy and could even include the Winter Soldier. For his part, Sebastian Stan is interested in Black Widow. Hopefully, with Phase 3 heading towards its endpoint, we’ll know more about the future of the MCU and Black Widow soon.