Making the case for Deborah Chow to direct Captain Marvel 2

By Pete Hernandez III

Marvel Studios announced that a sequel to 2019’s Captain Marvel is officially in the works, but a new director will be needed to helm the project. Luckily for the studio, they don’t need to look far for a viable candidate.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe boasted three feature films in 2019 to pass the one billion mark at the box office, and among them was Captain Marvel. The studio’s first feature film with a female superhero in the leading role (Brie Larson portraying the titular character) ushered in a new era of Marvel movies.

The expectation was that Captain Marvel would become an integral piece to lead the MCU into the next phase. And according to news announced this week, we’ll be seeing her again in the not so distant future.

Marvel Studios announced that a sequel to Captain Marvel is officially in the works, pegged for a potential 2022 release. Megan McDonnell, a writer on the upcoming Disney+ series WandaVision, has signed on to write the script to the sequel that will reportedly bring Captain Marvel’s story from the 90s to the present day.

A release date, a story, and a screenwriter. The last piece needed: a director.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, directors Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck will not return to helm the sequel, though they could be involved in a future Disney+ series.

The general consensus is that Marvel Studios bringing a new face to direct, reportedly eyeing a female director, is a needed boost for the sequel. Captain Marvel was not bad by any means, and it was clearly a box office success, but the belief is that there is more potential to be reached with the character.

Marvel Studios need not look far for a viable candidate: Deborah Chow should be in the consideration to direct the sequel.

Deborah Chow has no shortage of experience directing prominent television series, some of which are within the umbrella of Disney properties. Alongside directing credits for Mr. Robot and Better Call Saul, she’s directed episodes of Marvel’s Jessica Jones and Iron Fist on Netflix.

She’s been tapped to direct the upcoming Obi-Wan Disney+ standalone series, after directing two episodes of The Mandalorian (Chapter 3: The Sin and Chapter 7: The Reckoning).

It’s no surprise that Chow is getting increased support (at least from the Marvel fandom) to be considered to helm the Captain Marvel sequel. It’s a testament to the experience she’s accumulated over her career, and directing for multiple high-profile series is no easy feat.

In the two episodes she directed for The Mandalorian, Chapter 3: The Sin currently has a 93% critics rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Her latter episode, Chapter 7: The Reckoning, boasts a 100% consensus rating from critics.

The choice to have her helm the upcoming Obi-Wan series is a sign of trust in her ability to not only adapt a story to fit its medium but most importantly, maximize the potential of that said character. Who’s to say that she can’t do it again on the big screen?

Captain Marvel is expected to be an integral part of Marvel’s future, and to usher in this new era of storytelling requires the character to be explored to its greatest potential. The script is always an underrated part of a film, but the right director is also essential in order to, first and foremost, tell a good story.

Luckily for Marvel Studios, they need not look far to find a deserving candidate to steer the future of the MCU in the right direction.