It's a great era for comic book movies. It wasn't too long ago that good projects were few and far between, but now there's a handful of them each and every year. That alone is worth celebrating, yes? To make matters even more exciting, the future is looking very bright for comic book movies. Marvel Studios is taking major steps to expand its universe, DC is finally establishing the Justice League, the X-Men are back on the right track, and there's so much more potential elsewhere, too. With so many appealing movies right around the corner, we can't help but think about which directors will be attached to various projects in the years to come. It's pretty unlikely many of the following suggestions will happen (some are far too busy with other movies) and it's unclear if several of these movies will even move forward, but hey, why not have some fun wondering about it, right?
Green Lantern
It's uncertain whether another Green Lantern movie will be made, but if they're expanding the new DC Cinematic Universe and forming a Justice League, we need to hold onto hope they'll give the space cops another shot. If that does happen, Neil Blomkamp seems like the right creator for the job. The man behind District 9 and Elysium has proven he can create great character-driven sci-fi experiences. If Warner Bros. wants someone to help expand this cosmic stage, Blomkamp has proven he can create engaging science fiction and on a limited budget, too. If there's a director in Sector 2814 that can do the Green Lantern mythos justice, I'd have my money on Mr. Blomkamp.
Iron Fist
Iron Fist is heading to Netflix and one director would be a perfect fit: Gareth Evans. The mastermind behind The Raid franchise is without question one of the best action directors out there. He knows how to creatively present action scenes which make you feel every hit and he delivers some of the most clever shots out there (e.g. how the car chase was handled in The Raid 2). He's more than proven he can direct some of the best hand-to-hand fights you'll ever watch, but The Raid 2 also showed he can handle a more lengthy narrative, too. The only potential issue would be how much graphic content Marvel would let him dish out, but given his excellent directing abilities, I'm sure he could find a way to make impactful fights while also not going totally over the top in this regard.
Deadpool
Okay, it's clear Edgar Wright won't be collaborating with Marvel Studios any time soon, but what about Fox? Many directors come to mind while thinking about a Deadpool solo movie (especially Robert Rodriguez and Martin McDonagh), but Edgar Wright's brilliant style would actually be a pretty spectacular fit for Wade Wilson. He's more than capable of filling every scene with a variety of huge laughs (both verbal and physical), doesn't shy away from violence (you've seen Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, right?), and can most certainly handle a focus on a disturbed lead. Plus, The World's End revealed that Wright can do a stellar job creating thrilling and crowd-pleasing melees. We know Wright can bring the funny. We know Wright can bring the action. And we know Wright can bring a compelling story. He's a gifted director and would be a fantastic choice for Deadpool movie. Now it's just a matter of actually getting the ball rolling with the project...
Mystique or Gambit solo
Matthew Vaughn's a mighty fine director. He did a great job bringing Mark Millar and John Romita Jr's Kick-Ass to life in the first film and then he did the seemingly impossible: he put the X-Men franchise back on the right track. After X-Men: The Last Stand and X-Men Origins: Wolverine, expectations for Fox's mutant franchise took a dive. Vaughn's X-Men Origins: First Class proved there was still hope for the property and it was a thoroughly enjoyable period piece (it's worth adding he had limited time making it, too). Vaughn helped write the very excellent X-Men: Days of Future Past as well. He's invested time in this franchise and has played a key role in expanding it, so he seems like the perfect fit to boost its next big characters: Mystique and Gambit. Wolverine's received plenty of focus and the Professor X/Magneto dynamic continues to unfold well, but with the star power behind these two mutants (Channing Tatum, Jennifer Lawrence), it's obvious they'll begin to expand the role these mutants play. And, if they do indeed move forward with a solo film for either, Vaughn's resume proves he'd be a solid fit.
Black Panther
A Black Panther movie needs to happen. It's as simple as that. The character has such a rich mythos and is downright awesome. His inclusion would definitely bring some more depth to the expanding Marvel Cinematic Universe. If you're going to unleash a Black Panther movie, it needs to be really good and generate massive interest in the character. He has the ability to turn into one of the MCU's big heroes, after all. And if you're looking for a well-made and entertaining movie, Brad Bird absolutely has what it takes. His phenomenal work with The Iron Giant and The Incredibles proves he can fit Marvel Studios' style. He can create ridiculously enjoyable material that's full of heart, excitement, and laughs. But if you're afraid he wouldn't make a good transition to live-action or fear he's to family friendly for T'Challa, you should be happy to know he directed Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol, a PG-13 action movie which definitely earned its rating at times.
Wonder Woman
If you're going to give Wonder Woman her own movie, it needs to be epic. It has to show the general audience why Wonder Woman's a character that warrants their focus. It also needs to unveil Diana Prince's mystical world and hit us with some major displays of action. Ridley Scott has experience with all of those elements. Blade Runner shows he can craft a character-driven experience in an engrossing and unique world. Gladiator and Black Hawk Down undoubtedly prove he can handle a variety of crazy action scenes. And, since this new DCU has sci-fi elements, let's not forget his work with a little movie called Alien. A Wonder Woman movie needs to drop jaws and Ridley Scott certainly has the potential to do just that. If he were behind this, you can bet it'll have character, worldbuilding, and intensity.
Do you agree with any of these pairings or do you think there's a better director out there for some of these gigs? Don't be shy, share your thoughts with us below!