Black Widow may play a major role in the Avengers films, but Captain Marvel will be the first female superhero to headline a Marvel movie. The film is set for a March 2019 release, and now Marvel boss Kevin Feige has hinted at when we might learn the identity of the film's star and director.

In an interview with IO9 to promote the upcoming Captain America: Civil War, Feige was asked about progress on Captain Marvel. "[You'll have] a filmmaker and cast by the summer," he said. "Maybe before. Maybe after. Filmmaker announcement first."

It has been suggested that a summer announcement could tie in with the San Diego Comic-Con, which takes place in July. Unlike last year, parent company Disney does not have its own D23 expo to reveal any big franchise news.

There has been much speculation about who will be cast to play Captain Marvel ever since the film was announced. Big name favourites for the role include Emily Blunt, Charlize Theron, and Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation's Rebecca Ferguson, while UFC champ Ronda Rousey last year revealed that she would be keen to play the role.

The film was originally scheduled for a July 2018 release, before being moved back to make way for the standalone Spider-Man movie and Ant-Man and the Wasp.

Captain Marvel has been the name of various heroes over the years. The current incarnation, and the one expected to feature in the film, is the alter ego of Carol Danvers. Danvers previously used the name of Ms Marvel and first appeared in her own comic book in 1977, before taking the identity of Captain Marvel in 2012.