UPDATE (1/11/16): Marvel officially announced Ryan Coogler's directing Black Panther on Monday. Kevin Feige said in a statement: "We are fortunate to have such an esteemed filmmaker join the Marvel family. The talents Ryan showcased in his first two films easily made him our top choice to direct Black Panther. Many fans have waited a long time to see Black Panther in his own film, and with Ryan we know we've found the perfect director to bring T'Challa's story to life."
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When it comes to the best films of 2015, you're fooling yourself if you weren't feeling Ryan Coogler's Creed. Many took notice, and earlier this month there was talk of Coogler being in negotiations to direct Marvel's 2018 Black Panther, starring Chadwick Boseman as the Wakandan prince. Creed was Coogler's second film, with his first being Fruitvale Station, and he seemed like the right man for the job...for fans, and apparently, for Marvel.
In the February 2016 issue of Empire, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige confirmed that Coogler will be directing Black Panther, and in a first for Marvel, Black Panther will have a mostly-black cast. Feige called Black Panther important, saying that you "get an unbelievable lead character, but you also get all of Wakanda which is a whole new setting and culture to explore."
The importance goes further, though, as Black Panther is the last film in Marvel's Phase Three before the massive Avengers: Infinity War—Part 1, which brings everything from the films before them (primarily, Thanos' search for the Infinity Gems) to a head. One could imagine Black Panther's Wakanda being the location of the final Infinity Gem...or something else.
Marvel has been killing it so far, but Black Panther is one of those films that they have to get right, for critics, fans, and their Cinematic Universe.
