Sources close to the negotiations have confirmed to me that Creed and Fruitvale Station director Ryan Coogler is in talks to direct Marvel's Black Panther.



This is a huge step for Marvel, who wants someone with talent but also with legitimacy, and does Coogler ever have both. He's a great filmmaker and he's a filmmaker who knows how to meld entertainment with real art.



More than that, he was able to work with Sylvester Stallone on a movie featuring Sly's most iconic character and still make it his own. Coogler knew how to hit the beats we want from a Rocky movie while making it fresh and exciting. These skills - handling opinions and finding new angles on well-worn stories - would serve him well on Black Panther.



For Marvel Coogler represents another step forward in filmmaking; he's got awards buzz and his stunning work on Creed shows he has style. More than that, Coogler is the platonic ideal for indie filmmakers going big - he started small, directed Creed at a mid-budget level and will now ascend to the big money blockbuster. It's better than other filmmakers who have jumped from 5 million dollar movies to 250 million dollar movies.



The two parties are still in talks, but I'm very hopeful that it all pans out. Creed is one of the best movies of the year and Coogler is one of the most exciting new talents out there. His take on Wakanda's kick-ass monarch is one I want to see.