Exclusive: Gina Prince-Bythewood Briefly Talks Directing Marvel’s Cloak & Dagger For FreeformPosted by Wilson Morales

March 14, 2017

While in New York City last week to promote her upcoming Fox TV series, Shots Fired, creator and executive producer Gina Prince-Bythewood, best known for movies like Love & Basketball and Beyond the Lights, spoke to Blackfilm.com about her project, directing the pilot episode to Marvel’s Cloak & Dagger For ABC’s Freeform.

Marvel’s Cloak & Dagger is a coming-of-age series based on the beloved Marvel characters. Tandy Bowen and Tyrone Johnson come from starkly different backgrounds, each growing up with a secret they never dared share with another soul. Once a privileged little girl, Tandy Bowen watched as her family was destroyed by a disastrous storm that uprooted her life. Now in her late teens, an unexpected encounter with a boy named Tyrone sparks a life changing event. Young Tyrone Johnson wanted nothing more than to prove he was fearless. But when everything he held close was taken away, life taught Tyrone to be afraid. Now older and more sheltered, Tyrone closes himself off. But when he meets a girl named Tandy his life changes forever.

Aubrey Joseph (The Night Of, Run All Night) and former Disney Channel star Olivia Holt (I Didn’t Do It) have been cast as Cloak & Dagger, playing the title heroes, Tyrone Johnson, a.k.a. Cloak and Tandy Bowen, a.k.a. Dagger.

“The characters of Tandy and Tyrone have always stood out to me ever since I first met them in the pages of Marvel comics when I was a boy. When Olivia and Aubrey read for the roles, these characters leapt off the page. We’re so excited to see what these talented young actors bring to the Marvel Universe,” said executive producer/showrunner Joe Pokaski.

Also cast in the series are Andrea Roth, Gloria Reuben, Miles Mussenden, Carl Lundstedt, James Saito, and J.D. Evermore.

Created by Bill Mantlo and Ed Hannigan in the pages of Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man, Cloak & Dagger have fought alongside the X-Men, the Runaways, Doctor Strange and even Captain America’s Secret Avengers during the first Civil War event.

How’s the shoot going?

Gina Prince-Bythewood: It’s been shot. Incredible cast. Olivia Holt and Aubrey Joseph are special.

Did you know about the series prior to coming on board?

Gina Prince-Bythewood: I did not. I’ve just been a fan of Marvel. When I heard what the story was about, it was right into my wheelhouse and the fact that my boys are big comic book guys and honestly, three years ago I was watching a Marvel show and my youngest ask when will we have a Black superhero. The fact that we’re so excited for Black Panther to come out, and the fact that I got to put something out on TV with a young female superhero and a black superhero was just a gift.

With Cheo Hodari Coker as the show runner for Netflix’s Luke Cage, Ryan Coogler directing Black Panther for Marvel Studios, Mara Brock and Salim Akil doing Black Lightning for The CW and you’re working on Cloak and Dagger, how does it feel to have folks of color behind the scenes on some of these Marvel projects?

Gina Prince-Bythewood: I came in to do the pilot so I’m excited for the opportunity to do it. It was such a great script and to be able to help create the look of the show was exciting for me. I love that they are starting to open up and broaden who there are bringing in.

Cloak and Dagger will premiere in 2018.