Regina King is on a meteoric rise. After her impressive directorial debut last year with the Oscar-nominated filmOne Night in Miami, she has become one of Hollywood’s most sought-after contemporary directors. Her next directing gig will beImage Comics’Bitter Rootadaptationfor Legendary, which is expected to be a massive undertaking, but there’s another title rumored to be on King’s plate that could be larger than any film she’s ever helmed before: the nextSupermanfilm.
During a live MSNBC interview, the Oscar winner learned that she was being considered to direct theSupermanreboot film for Warner Bros and DC. Tiffany Cross, the host ofThe Cross Connection, made her aware of the rumor that she was “on the shortlist” to direct the revival project, alongside other high-profile names such as Barry Jenkins, Ryan Coogler, and J.D. Dillard. King was surprised by the news, saying to Cross that she had “broke the news” to her and that she had not heard about it until that very moment.
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While King’s involvement in the upcomingSupermanfilm is still very much speculative, there are some signs that hint it could be true. In particular, previous reports have claimed that Warner Bros. is looking to introduce the first Black Man of Steel in the DCEU and that they would prefer tohave a black director helm theSupermanfilm.
The most recent addition to the project isacclaimed writer Ta-Nehisi Coates, who will lend his expertise in the Black experience and the cultural, social, and political issues that affect it. With all of these points in mind, it would only be fitting for King to be chosen as the director since she is also an advocate for the exploration of Black issues in film.
Given that Coates had previously been involvedin Marvel’sBlack Panther, fans believe that DC may be taking inspiration from their competitor to properly reimagine the Man of Steel. As for King, she did not address whether or not she was approached by Warner Bros. for the job, or if she is even interested in being involved in the project.
If anything, King will likely only be able to commit toSupermanafter she finishes withBitter Root, which she said is currently in its development stages. Speaking on the first draft of the script, she says that she is “excited about where it is going,” particularly in terms of the entry point that her team has decided to begin the story.
The latestSupermanfilm is currently in development at Warner Bros. and DC.
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