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MCU Phase Openers Ranked by Worldwide Box Office: From Iron Man to Quantumania ( Photo Credit – Facebook )

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is famously divided into phases, each ushered in by a new era-defining film that sets the tone for years of interconnected storytelling. With Fantastic Four launching Phase Six, fans are gearing up for a multiversal threat – a return to the era of Avengers teaming up to take on the biggest threats. The stakes have never been higher, and the expectations are massive.

Historically, Marvel has used these phase openers to both introduce new characters and evolve fan favorites. From Iron Man, which kicked off the entire saga back in 2008, to the ambitious but polarizing Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, these films not only shaped Marvel’s direction but also raked in significant global revenue, although not all equally. Some soared past the billion-dollar mark with ease, while others stumbled under...

The Marvel Cinematic Universe officially kicked off in 2008 with Iron Man, and is still going strong nearly two decades later with its 36th feature film, Thunderbolts, opening in U.S. theaters on May 2. But for every Oscar-winning juggernaut like Black Panther or beloved action-comedy like Guardians of the Galaxy, there are MCU films that even the truest of fans wish never happened. We've consulted the cumulative IMDb scores and have come up with the definitive ranking of all Marvel Cinematic Universe movies to date.

Produced by Marvel Studios and Kevin Feige, the MCU is a shared universe of American superhero films based on countless editions of Marvel Comics. It's easily the highest-grossing movie franchise in history, topping $31.5 billion globally, with Avengers: Endgame being the biggest earner at $2.8 billion worldwide.

Thunderbolts, directed by Jake Schreier (Beef) and starring Florence Pugh, Sebastian Stan, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus, will be added to the list...

As Florence Pugh and David Harbour enter into the home stretch of the Thunderbolts* press tour, a couple of key absences are on their minds from their collective MCU debut in 2021’s Black Widow.

When Pugh joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Yelena Belova, she was introduced as the heir apparent to Scarlett Johansson’s outgoing Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow. After all, Johansson’s character had died two years earlier in Avengers: Endgame, as her sacrifice played a key role in the Avengers finally taking down the almighty Thanos and restoring the population he blipped out of existence, including Yelena herself.

Johansson’s long-overdue solo movie was then meant to shed light on Natasha and Yelena’s origin story and also pass the torch to Pugh’s adoptive sister character. In the early ‘90s, they spent three years together in Ohio, posing as the daughters of Russian operatives Alexei Shostakov...

Scarlett Johansson’s most recent appearance in the MCU was in 2021 Black Widow. Directed by Cate Shortland, the movie stars Scarlett Johansson in the titular role alongside Florence Pugh, David Harbour, and Rachel Weisz.

The story follows Natasha as she confronts her past and reunites with her estranged “family” to take down the villainous organization known as the Red Room. The movie was notably a prequel, taking into account that the character died during the events of Endgame as she and Hawkeye had to fetch the Soul Stone.

In the meantime, the MCU has introduced an intriguing way for deceased characters to return—the Multiverse. Both Gamora and Loki met their demise in Avengers: Infinity War, yet they managed to return through variant versions of themselves. This has fueled fans’ hopes that Black Widow might receive a similar fate.

Related: Is a New “Black Widow-Related” Project in Development? Recent...

Led by Marvel’s “Captain America: Brave New World” (Disney), February will continue the three-month trend of improved box office compared to the previous year. By the end of February, we might be 25 percent of 2024.

Nobody expects that to continue for the full year. If it did, grosses for U.S./Canada theaters would reach $11.5 billion. In 2018 we saw about $12 billion — at current ticket prices, that equates to $15 billion.

January rose 10 percent from last year, but more than two thirds of that gross came from holdovers. “Den of Thieves 2: Pantera” (Lionsgate) was the best of a weak group with $33 million in January, but Universal’s “Dog Man” and Sony’s One of Them Days” will each far exceed that total.

A total of around $550 million in February looks doable; last year was an abysmal $375 million. In the lead will be the new “Captain America,” which is also the first...

French filmmaker Coralie Fargeat may soon be an Oscar winner for last year’s Demi Moore-starring body horror hit The Substance, which is nominated for five Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Screenplay. Not bad for a movie that Universal stepped away from and sold off to Mubi after they were unhappy with the finished product!

Coralie Fargeat dives into The Substance‘s many behind the scenes challenges in a new chat with Variety this week, and the piece reveals a surprising little tidbit of movie trivia. According to the outlet’s sources, Fargeat was at point in talks to direct the Scarlett Johansson solo movie Black Widow for Marvel, which ultimately ended up being directed by Cate Shortland.

Variety details, “The story of The Substance was so personal to Fargeat, too, that she was willing to make huge sacrifices for it. She was broke while...

When The Substance picked up five Academy Award nominations - including Best Director - during Sunday's announcement, the usual jokes about director Coralie Fargeat immediately getting swept up in the superhero movie vacuum followed.

Now, it's come to light that the filmmaker actually did come close to accepting an offer to helm a Marvel Studios project while she was still working on the script for her surreal body-horror satire.

In Variety's piece on Fargeat's struggle to stay true to her original vision for the film despite certain Universal execs feeling that the extreme gore and nudity would make it a hard sell, it's mentioned that the director walked away from preliminary discussions to helm 2021's Black Widow starring Scarlett Johansson in order to stay focused on The Substance.

“I held on so tightly during the making of the film and the difficult post-production phase, when everyone wanted me to make it less violent,...

The Substance director Coralie Fargeat has revealed that she could have instead been the director of Marvel’s Black Widow.

Starring Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley, wildly satirical body horror The Substance has emerged as one of the most acclaimed films of 2024, and has since been nominated for five Oscars, including Best Picture. In a surprising twist, its director, French filmmaker Coralie Fargeat, has revealed that her film may never have happened if she’d responded to the lure of Marvel.

In an interview with Variety that’s well worth a read, Fargeat reveals that Marvel offered her the chance to direct the 2020 film Black Widow following the critical success of her absorbing and propulsive 2017 thriller, Revenge. Fargeat reveals that even though she was “broke” at the time, she resisted the financial muscle of Marvel’s offer because she didn’t believe Marvel would grant her final cut.

Instead, in...

Coralie Fargeat bet big on herself and won, as her decision to turn down a big MCU director gig to focus on her passion project, The Substance, led her to an Academy Award nomination. Fargeat's The Substance has become one of the ultimate underdog stories of the awards season race, as the movie's original financer, Universal Pictures, dropped the project before being picked up by a smaller distributor, Mubi. The body horror film, starring Demi Moore, seemed like a tough sell on paper, but it has since gone on to gross $76 million worldwide and defied expectations. The Substance is a full-throttle gore fest that scored a Best Picture nomination at the 97th Academy Awards, with Fargeat earning a Best Director and Best Original Screenplay nomination.

Things might have gone very differently if Fargeat had considered Marvel Studios' offer. According to Variety, Fargeat was in consideration to direct Black Widow. Despite being broke at the time,...

Scarlett Johansson, Florence Pugh, Pneumonia, Black Widow ( Photo Credit – Instagram )

Wait, What? Scarlett Johansson and Florence Pugh shot Black Widow while battling pneumonia. The iconic Black Widow movie didn’t just come with a hefty Marvel action budget and epic fight scenes — it came with a dash of illness, too. While fans were losing their minds over the movie’s delayed release, behind the scenes, Johansson and Pugh were pushing through not just superhero stunts but actual pneumonia. Talk about dedication.

According to The Gentlewoman, the film’s shoot, which stretched over four months across Norway, Morocco, the U.K., and the U.S., was one massive endurance test. And by the end of it, both leads were sick as dogs but still powering through. The movie’s director, Cate Shortland compared it to “being in the army.” Not exactly a vacation, huh?

But here’s the kicker: Scarlett kept...

Scarlett Johansson’s last appearance in the MCU was in the 2021 film Black Widow. Directed by Cate Shortland, the movie stars Johansson as Natasha, along with Florence Pugh, David Harbour, and Rachel Weisz. The story follows Natasha as she confronts her past and reunites with her estranged family to take down the Red Room organization.

The film was praised for its action, character development, and performances, especially by Johansson and Pugh. Since Natasha died in Endgame, her Black Widow role was taken over by Yelena Belova.

Now, with several of Johansson’s co-stars, like Chris Evans and Robert Downey Jr., set to return in upcoming Avengers movies, fans are wondering if Johansson might return as well.

Alex Perez mentioned in his latest Discord Ama that Scarlett Johansson could return in the next Avengers movies if the rumors are true.

Scarlett Johansson could return in the next Avengers films if the rumor mill keeps going.

Scarlett Johansson’s last appearance in the MCU was in the 2021 movie ‘Black Widow.’ Directed by Cate Shortland, the film stars Johansson as Natasha, along with Florence Pugh, David Harbour, and Rachel Weisz. The story focuses on Natasha as she faces her past and reunites with her estranged “family” to take down the Red Room organization.

The movie was praised for its action, character development, and performances, especially from Johansson and Pugh. Considering that Natasha died during the events of ‘Endgame’ her Black Widow position was “taken over” by Yelena Belova.

Now considering that several of Johansson’s co-stars are set to return in the upcoming ‘Avengers’ movies, notably Evans and Rdj, fans have been wondering whether the same in in the cards for Johansson as well.

Alex Perez stated during his most recent Discord Ama that Scarlet Johansson might return in the next ‘Avengers’ movies if the rumors turn out to be true.

Scarlett Johansson discussed Black Widow’s portrayal in the MCU. (Photo Credit – Instagram)

Let’s narrate a story of when Scarlett Johansson spilled the tea about her Black Widow role in Iron Man 2. In a no-holds-barred chat with Collider, she called it like she saw it. The character? Totally “hyper-sexualized.” Yup, you heard that right! Instead of being the fierce superhero we all love, she was treated more like a shiny trophy than a badass. “You look back at Iron Man 2, and while it was fun, the character is so sexualized, you know? Talked about like she’s a piece of something, like a possession or a thing or whatever.” Yikes, right?

Let’s face it: when Black Widow first premiered in 2010, she was a legit ass-kicker. Johansson called out that cringeworthy line from Tony Stark, where he drooled over her and said, “I want some.” It was meant as a joke,...

Back in 2021, Black Widow star Scarlett Johansson filed a lawsuit against the Walt Disney Co., alleging that her contract was breached when the Marvel Studios movie was released on Disney+ and in theaters at the same time.

Apparently, Black Widow had been guaranteed an exclusive theatrical release when Johansson signed on to reprise the role of Natasha Romanoff in Cate Shortland's prequel film. The Fly Me To the Moon star also claimed that Disney was aware that making the movie available to stream would dissuade theatre attendance, but "did so anyway, knowingly and intentionally."

The situation was exacerbated when Disney issued a response shortly after the news of the filing broke, calling the lawsuit "sad and distressing in its callous disregard for the horrific and prolonged global effects of the Covid-19 pandemic."

During an interview with The New York Times, Johansson was asked about the lawsuit and her current relationship with Disney.

Scarlett Johansson last appeared in the MCU in 2021’s ‘Black Widow,’ directed by Cate Shortland. The film stars Johansson in the lead role, alongside Florence Pugh, David Harbour, and Rachel Weisz. ‘Black Widow’ follows Natasha as she confronts her past and teams up with her estranged “family” to dismantle the villainous organization known as the Red Room.

The movie was acclaimed for its action sequences, character development, and performances, particularly those of Johansson and Pugh. However, it also sparked a contentious legal battle between the actress and the studio. In July 2021, Scarlett Johansson filed a lawsuit against The Walt Disney Company, citing breach of contract concerning the movie’s release.

Johansson asserted that Disney’s choice to release the film simultaneously in theaters and on the Disney+ streaming platform, through its Premier Access program, breached her contract, which linked her compensation directly to theatrical box office performance.

Recently, the star...

Scarlett Johansson’s most recent appearance in the MCU was in 2021 ‘Black Widow.’ Directed by Cate Shortland, ‘Black Widow’ stars Scarlett Johansson in the titular role alongside Florence Pugh, David Harbour, and Rachel Weisz. The story follows Natasha as she confronts her past and reunites with her estranged “family” to take down the villainous organization known as the Red Room.

The movie received praise for its action sequences, character development, and performances, particularly from Johansson and Pugh, but it also started a nasty lawsuit between the actress and the studio. Scarlett Johansson filed a lawsuit against The Walt Disney Company in July 2021, alleging a breach of contract related to the release of the movie.

Johansson claimed that Disney’s decision to release the film simultaneously in theaters and on the Disney+ streaming platform, under its Premier Access program, violated her contract, as her salary was tied directly to box-office success.

Scarlett Johansson’s latest MCU role was in the 2021 film “Black Widow.” Directed by Cate Shortland, the movie stars Johansson, Florence Pugh, David Harbour, and Rachel Weisz. It follows Natasha as she confronts her past and teams up with her estranged “family” to take down the villainous Red Room organization.

While the film received acclaim for its action scenes, character arcs, and performances, particularly Johansson and Pugh’s, it also sparked a contentious legal battle between Johansson and Disney. In July 2021, Johansson filed a lawsuit against The Walt Disney Company, alleging a breach of contract due to the movie’s simultaneous release in theaters and on Disney+ Premier Access. Johansson argued that this release strategy violated her contract, which tied her compensation to the film’s box office performance.

We didn’t expect to hear about another Black Widow project for a couple of reasons: Natasha’s character demise and the ongoing lawsuit.

Scarlett Johansson’s most recent appearance in the MCU was in 2021 ‘Black Widow.’ Directed by Cate Shortland, ‘Black Widow’ stars Scarlett Johansson in the titular role alongside Florence Pugh, David Harbour, and Rachel Weisz. The story follows Natasha as she confronts her past and reunites with her estranged “family” to take down the villainous organization known as the Red Room.

The movie received praise for its action sequences, character development, and performances, particularly from Johansson and Pugh, but it also started a nasty lawsuit between the actress and the studio. Scarlett Johansson filed a lawsuit against The Walt Disney Company in July 2021, alleging a breach of contract related to the release of the movie. Johansson claimed that Disney’s decision to release the film simultaneously in theaters and on the Disney+ streaming platform, under its Premier Access program, violated her contract, as her salary was tied directly to box-office success.

For over a decade, Scarlett Johansson’s Black Widow was a mainstay in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). But after Avengers: Endgame, she officially hung up her shield, leaving a void for the next generation of heroes to fill.

Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow in a still from Avengers: Endgame

Now, Florence Pugh is stepping in to take on the role of Yelena Belova. She’s excited about the chance to lead a new team in the upcoming movie Thunderbolts. But the actress is also feeling bittersweet about moving forward without Johansson.

Florence Pugh Saddened by Scarlett Johansson’s Marvel Departure After Black Widow

Natasha Romanoff and Yelena Belova in a still from Black Widow

Florence Pugh‘s made her debut in the MCU alongside Scarlett Johansson in Black Widow (2021). The film explored Natasha Romanoff’s past and introduced her estranged sister, Yelena Belova. Director Cate Shortland specifically chose Pugh for the role,...

In Cate Shortland's 2021 spy thriller "Black Widow," Ray Winstone plays a heartless Russian spymaster named Dreykov who oversees a shadowy training program called the Red Room. For years, Dreykov has been kidnapping young girls and forcing them to train as assassins and spies in a mysterious facility nicknamed Red Room. He is effectively turning girls into brainwashed super-agents -- Black Widows -- for the Soviet Union, then later, Russia. The titular Black Widow is Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson) a good-hearted spy who broke her programming, defected, and turned to the side of good. The plot of Shortland's film involves Natasha and several other former Russian super-agents tracking down Dreykov and shuttering the Red Room. 

"Black Widow" is largely unremarkable, perhaps better known in 2024 for the unfortunate circumstances under which it was released. The film was infamously delayed because of Covid-19 lockdowns, and then released onto Disney+ (for a hefty...

Natasha Romanoff has been fighting an uphill battle ever since she joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe with Jon Favreau’s Iron Man 2. In addition to being the only female Avenger in a boys’ club of super-powered dudes (for a time), plans to give her a solo film kept getting derailed by Marvel’s musical chairs approach to priorities and other extraneous factors. When Marvel finally announced Cate Shortland’s 2021 film Black Widow, some fans felt it was too late for the deceased assassin to spend her time in the sun. Despite the film’s questionable CGI and bizarre positioning in the MCU timetable, Black Widow brings some of the best aspects of the character center stage. Black Widow also gives fans Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), arguably one of Marvel’s best on-screen characters in a post-Endgame world. However, did you know David Hayter (Wolves) almost directed a Black Widow film in 2004? It almost happened,...

Black Widow's opening credits scene reveals the devastating childhood of Natasha and the other Widows, setting the stage for a tragic origin story. The behind-the-scenes detail that Natasha's childhood was potentially a secret even to her closest allies adds a heavy burden to her character and makes her sacrifice even more poignant. The exploration of Natasha's dark past in the Red Room makes Black Widow one of the most emotional films in the MCU, shedding light on her mysterious origins and the weight she carried throughout her life.

Black Widow’s opening credit scene gets even more heartbreaking thanks to an MCU behind-the-scenes detail. Natasha Romanoff’s highly-anticipated solo movie may have been released after her tragic Avengers: Endgame death, but the film was still able to build on a character that had years of history in the MCU. Black Widow adds to Natasha’s lore right off the bat,...

When filmmaker Maggie Betts premiered her feature debut, the stunning period piece “Novitiate,” at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival, the drama starring Margaret Qualley as a young nun took a path many other films had already followed. It showed to strong reviews (including from this writer), earned Betts a Special Jury Award for Breakthrough Director, was bought at the festival by Sony Pictures Classics for an estimated 7-digit price, got a theatrical release in the heat of the fall season, and even picked up some awards buzz for co-star Melissa Leo.

These days, that once-traditional route is a vestige of the past, as the theatrical landscape continues to shift and festival buys grow slimmer. But while Betts readily admits she’s had to change her ambitions to suit the ecosystem, that hasn’t diminished her work. It has, however, altered it a bit. For one thing, it took her six years...

Writers’ Development

The U.K.’s National Film and Television School (Nfts) has partnered with “The Crown” producer Left Bank Pictures on the Nfts Diverse Writers Development Program that kicks off in March 2024. It will select six emerging U.K. screenwriters from under-represented backgrounds to contribute their voices to the entertainment landscape and inject fresh perspectives into scripted drama.

The chosen writers will embark on a paid 10-week program, during which four full series ideas will be developed and pitched, with the aim of creating commercially viable television drama concepts. The participants will work through a curriculum designed by the Nfts. The initiative will connect writers with production executives from Left Bank Pictures and potentially other British production companies.

Applications are open now and close Oct. 31.

Promotion

Alexandre Moreau has been promoted to head of sales at Paris-based company Memento International. The executive will oversee Memento International’s slate of films and strategy,...

Avengers: Age of Ultron faced criticism for including narratives that set up the McU's future, including Black Widow's Red Room trauma. The decision to portray Black Widow as a "monster" because she couldn't have children was controversial and still lacks justification. Thor: Love and Thunder weakens Black Widow's emotional arc in Age of Ultron by showing Thor becoming a father figure, suggesting biological ties aren't necessary for parenthood.

Black Widow's controversial arc in Avengers: Age of Ultron is made so much worse by Thor's personal storyline in the Multiverse Saga. On the heels of The Avengers' success, Marvel Studios planned the next re-assembly of the original Earth's Mightiest Heroes. Just three years after the 2012 blockbuster, its direct sequel was released. While another box office hit for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Avengers: Age of Ultron wasn't universally loved like its predecessor. Aside from production woes, there were also certain story...

Australian Film Television and Radio School

Australia’s leading screen arts and broadcast school benefits from a beautiful Sydney campus and a deep pool of industry lecturers and close ties with the Australian film community. Notable alumni include multi-Oscar nominee Jane Campion (The Power of the Dog), Phillip Noyce (The Quiet American) and Black Widow filmmaker Cate Shortland, plus a slew of esteemed craftspeople like Margaret Sixel (editing on Mad Max: Fury Road), David White (sound editing for Mad Max: Fury Road), Andrew Lesnie (cinematography for The Lord of the Rings) and Tony McNamara (best original screenplay Oscar nominee for The Favourite).

Beijing Film Academy

The USC of the world’s second-largest film industry, China’s most prestigious film school offers its graduates a wealth of industry ties to some of the country’s most prominent working actors and directors. Bfa also now has an undergraduate film program taught in English.

Barbie, directed by Greta Gerwig, has become a worldwide sensation and broken numerous box office records, including the highest opening for a non-sequel and the biggest opening for a toy-based film. Other films directed by women have also made significant impacts, such as Pitch Perfect by Elizabeth Banks and Twilight by Catherine Hardwicke, which both achieved impressive opening weekends. Female directors have made strides in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with films like Eternals directed by Chloé Zhao and Black Widow directed by Cate Shortland, both garnering successful opening weekends and paving the way for more female-led superhero movies.

The acclaimed Barbie movie has joined the ranks of the best weekend openings for films directed by women. Approaching its third week in theaters, Barbie continues to dominate box offices, picking up unprecedented accolades and critical praise in the process. With the iconic Mattel doll at the center of the story, the...

Once upon a time, after “Zama” wowed audiences at the Venice Film Festival, Marvel Studios had its eye on Argentinian director Lucrecia Martel to direct “Black Widow.” The short version: Marvel wanted a woman to helm the Scarlett Johansson vehicle, and they met with several female filmmakers about the movie in 2018. Martel wasn’t interested, and directing duties eventually landed with Cate Shortland.

Continue reading Lucrecia Martel Rips Into Marvel Movies For Their “Very Ugly” Sound: “The Way Music Is Used Is Actually Horrible” at The Playlist.

Argentinian filmmaker Lucrecia Martel (“Zama”) was one of several female directors courted by Marvel Studios to direct “Black Widow,” the comic book tentpole centered on Scarlett Johansson’s assassin. Martel revealed in 2018 that she turned down the project after a meeting with Marvel in which the studio told her to focus on character and not the action scenes. In a recent interview with The Film Stage, Martel confessed she never ended up seeing “Black Widow.”

“No, no, no — I didn’t see ‘Black Widow.’ I tried to,” Martel said. “They contacted a great number of female directors. I never would have imagined that Marvel could contact and bring together a pool of directors and I would be a part of it; I never thought that would be possible. I would have loved to make a film with them but I would have had to provide something that I would like to see in that world.

As happened with Eternals and Chloé Zhao's vision, Black Widow could have been a very different film from the rest of the MCU productions if Lucrecia Martel had been chosen to direct it. And it is that the acclaimed Argentine director was part of the shortlist of candidates to bring the story of Scarlett Johansson's character to the screen, but ended up declining the offer.

Multi-award-winning and recognized for films such as Zama or La Ciénaga, Martel is one of the most recognized female directors on the Latin American stage and in the world, however it was a surprise for her that Marvel Studios approached to her to offer such an important project as the prequel centered on Natasha Romanoff, as she confessed back in 2018 speaking with Indiewire:

“What they told me in the meeting was ‘we need a female director because we need someone who is mostly...

Lucrecia Martel is calling out Marvel for what she feels is the films’ poor production quality.

The “Zama” director, who previously revealed she was approached by Marvel to helm “Black Widow,” told The Film Stage that she never ended up seeing the 2021 film directed by Cate Shortland.

“No, no, no. I didn’t see ‘Black Widow.’ I tried to,” Marvel said. “It turns out some of the Marvel films are available on planes so I’ve seen a few. I find the sound in them is absolutely in very poor taste, the visual effects, and the sound of the effects.”

She added, “It’s the selection of the sounds that they’re connecting to the effects, which is actually very ugly. And the way the music is used is actually horrible.”

Martel gave more details about her Marvel meetings back in 2018 about “Black Widow.”

“They contacted a great number of female directors,...

Acclaimed Marvel Cinematic Universe star Florence Pugh insists changes were necessary for Yelena Belova between Black Widow and Hawkeye.

Speaking with Marvel for Hawkeye: The Official Collector Special, the British actor explained why a character shift was necessary for Yelena after Black Widow. "I think when we finished Black Widow I knew in the back of my head that if this character was asked to come back, [she] would be a completely different person because the whole film, the whole storyline of Black Widow, is that she's got her sister back and she's found her family again," she said.

Related: Marvel's Thunderbolts Cast Revealed with Yelena Belova, Winter Soldier and More

Yelena Changed By Natasha's Avengers: Endgame Sacrifice

Natasha (Scarlett Johansson) sacrificed herself in Endgame to obtain the Soul Stone, allowing the Avengers to undo Thanos' snap that wiped out half of the universe. Pugh said one of her first thoughts...

Eight years into the existence of their Best Film Stunt Ensemble category, the Screen Actors Guild bestowed the award upon a female-directed movie for the first time. This historic moment involved Angelina Jolie’s “Unbroken” (2015) which has since been emulated by Patty Jenkins’ “Wonder Woman” (2018) and “Wonder Woman 1984” (2021). Now, following the losses of Cate Shortland’s “Black Widow” and Lana Wachowski’s “The Matrix Resurrections” last year, Gina Prince-Bythewood’s “The Woman King” has a strong shot at becoming the fourth addition to the list.

Set in 1820s West Africa, “The Woman King” tells the partially fact-based story of the Agojie, an all-female warrior group fiercely dedicated to defending the kingdom of Dahomey. The plot progresses through the perspectives of General Nanisca (Viola Davis), who has accumulated more than two decades of fighting experience, and new recruit Nawi (Thuso Mbedu), whose participation in this noble cause helps her unlock the secrets of her past.

Berlin-based sales agent

Berlin-based Salzgeber is to handle international sales for actor Fabian Stumm’s feature directorial debut Bones And Names, which premieres in the Berlinale’s Perspektive Deutsches Kino section.

A sensitive and humorous reflection on relationships, the film has been nominated for the Teddy Award, Compass-Perspektibe Award and Heiner Carow Prize.

Stumm, whose acting credits include Cate Shortland’s Lore and Sebastian Meise’s Great Freedom, directed the short Bruxelles in 2020 and the award-winning medium-length film Daniel a year later before developing Bones and Names as his feature debut.

“Everything happened in a very short period: I wrote...

In this week’s Variety cover story, Elizabeth Banks talks about how much she relished the chance to use her third film as a director — the R-rated, wildly violent action comedy “Cocaine Bear” — to further develop her original voice as a filmmaker.

“I can’t do someone else’s vision,” she says. “I really want to bring my sensibility to things.”

For that reason, Banks says that she’s never been super eager to dive into big, established franchises like the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The last big franchise movie she was “really interested” in directing, she says, was “Thor: Ragnarok.”

“And nothing ever happened,” Banks says. She believes “a call was made” about the possibility of Banks pitching her take on “Ragnarok” to Marvel.

“No one called me [back],” she says. “Taika Waititi got the job. Rightfully so.”

Marvel Studios often fields pitches from several filmmakers to find right fit to direct their movies.

The Sundance Film Festival is celebrated as America’s premiere showcase for independent film and a launchpad for up-and-coming filmmakers making deeply personal movies, often on shoestring budgets. But the storied festival is also becoming known for something else: a pipeline for talent into some of Marvel’s biggest superhero films.

From Chloe Zhao (“Eternals”) to Taika Waititi (“Thor: Ragnarok”), Disney’s Marvel Studios has tapped Sundance talent with notable regularity.

A top dealmaker gave a brutally honest reason for what has become a pattern:

“It’s because they’re young, cheap, and will follow Feige’s rules,” the dealmaker said, referring to Marvel Studios president and keeper of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Kevin Feige.

How the annual Park City, Utah gathering has evolved into minor league farm system for Marvel is a phenomenon that tracks with the MCU’s ambitious slate, which constantly demands new ideas and talent. If...

Phase Five of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is about to get underway this year with the release of three new tentpole films and twice as many Disney+ shows. Bringing up the rear on the TV side of things is "Agatha: Coven of Chaos," which rolls cameras in Atlanta next week and is due for a late 2023 release

Ahead of its production start, "Agatha: Coven of Chaos" (formerly titled "Agatha: House of Harkness") has now locked in its directors, according The Hollywood Reporter.

A spin-off of Marvel's very first Disney+ series, "WandaVision," "Agatha: Coven of Chaos" centers on Kathryn Hahn's character, Agatha Harkness, who spent much of her previous screen time disguising herself as Wanda's nosy neighbor, Agnes. It was only toward the end of the seventh episode of "WandaVision" that viewers learned Agnes/Agatha's true witchy nature, to the tune of the Emmy-winning, retro-sitcom jingle "Agatha All Along.

Amid a turbulent year for the film industry with dwindling theatrical releases and shuffling release slates, only nine wide release films from major studios had a female director in 2022 — and six of them came from just one studio.

In TheWrap’s annual survey of theatrical releases with at least one female director, Sony Pictures led its Hollywood peers with six of its 13 theatrical wide releases featuring female directors. On the flip side, Disney, Paramount and Lionsgate had entirely male-only wide release slates.

Paramount gave one film directed by a woman (Sanaa Lathan’s “On the Come Up”) a limited day-and-date release, while Disney moved one female-directed title (Domee Shi’s Pixar animated feature “Turning Red”) from theaters to streaming and shifted another to 2023. And Lionsgate, which has hired only one female filmmaker since 2016, released only four films on at least 1,500 screens — none directed by women.

Since TheWrap began doing its...

Exclusive: Mumbai-based Impact Films is planning theatrical releases in India for Brendan Fraser starrer The Whale, Cannes Palme d’Or winner Triangle Of Sadness and Cannes best actor winner Broker, emboldened by its recent success with indie global breakout hit Everything Everywhere All At Once.

The company is releasing Darren Aronofsky’s The Whale on December 30, three weeks after its release in the U.S. through A24. Ruben Ostlund’s Triangle Of Sadness is being lined up for release in January 2023, around the same time that the Oscar nominations are announced. Hirokazu Kore-eda’s Broker will go out theatrically around the same time, following its U.S. release through Neon on December 26.

Impact Films founder Ashwani Sharma says he got the confidence to give these films a theatrical release after Everything Everywhere All At Once clicked with Indian audiences and grossed more than 200,000, despite releasing in September, six months after its U.

This story about the best international film schools first appeared in the College Issue of TheWrap’s awards magazine.

Australian Film, Television And Radio School

Sydney, Australia

“Aftrs was perfect because it was…practical,” says songwriter Christine Kirkwood, who graduated from Australia’s national screen and broadcast school after a six-month government program to train women in filmmaking. Her fellow alums include Gillian Armstrong and Phillip Noyce, who were in the school’s first graduating class in 1973, as well as Jane Campion, Cate Shortland and cinematographer Andrew Lesnie. Located near the Fox Studios in Sydney, the campus includes studios, post-production facilities and an extensive library.

Aftrs has a robust First Nations and Outreach program for indigenous students, and in early 2023 a new partnership with Industrial Light & Magic will allow the school to begin offering a two-semester Graduate Diploma in Visual Effects program. Other new offerings include a Screen Warriors program that will recruit,...

This article contains major MCU spoilers

If the Marvel Cinematic Universe does one thing particularly well, it’s deliver family-friendly outings for us all to enjoy. It’s in stark contrast to Warner Bros.’ typical DC output, which has been called out for its bloody and brooding aesthetic that puts the dark in Dark Knight. Although there have been talks about a more mature MCU, we’re still yet to get an R-rated outing – that honour will soon go to Deadpool 3.

That doesn’t mean there isn’t plenty of death and destruction in the MCU, with movies like Sam Raimi’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness being about as dark as they come. Across four phases, a mountain of movies, and a multiverse of series, it’s not all been happy times sharing a shawarma or twerking with Megan Thee Stallion. Here are 10 of the darkest moments to grace the MCU.

WaterTower Music has released the first music to be heard from the upcoming New Line Cinema action adventure “Black Adam,” starring Dwayne Johnson. The first-ever feature film to explore the story of the uncompromising DC antihero comes to the big screen under the direction of Jaume Collet-Serra (“Jungle Cruise”). The Black Adam Theme (from “Black Adam”) by highly respected Grammy Award-winning and Emmy-nominated composer Lorne Balfe has just been released – in advance of the film and soundtrack release. “Black Adam” smashes into theaters and IMAX internationally beginning 19 October 2022, and in North America on October 21, 2022.

Balfe’s vision for the music of Black Adam encompasses an exploration into the back stories that define the characters. The composer commented on that approach. “It was exciting to get into the Black Adam theme, and I really wanted to capture his essence as the DC comic book world’s anti-hero. We had a large...

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Australian Film, Television and Radio School

Australia’s preeminent screen arts and broadcast school benefits from a beautiful setting in one of the most pleasant parts of Sydney, as well as a wealth of industry lecturers and connections to the country’s working film and TV world. Notable alumni include last year’s Oscar best director nominee Jane Campion (Power of the Dog) and Black Widow filmmaker Cate Shortland, in addition to a slew of past Oscar nominees and winners in technical categories, like David White (sound editing for Mad Max: Fury Road), Andrew Lesnie (cinematography for The Lord of the Rings) and Tony McNamara (best original screenplay with The Favourite).

Centro de Capacitacion Cinematografica (Mexico)

Mexico’s most prestigious film school prides itself on the gender parity of its student body (a goal it first achieved in 2020) and its track record in turning out world-class professionals,...

Welcome to Deadline’s International Disruptors, a feature where we’ll shine a spotlight on key executives and companies outside of the U.S. who are shaking up the offshore marketplace. This week, we’re speaking with Memento Films International founder Emilie Georges and producer Naima Abed about their company Paradise City, its slate and why now is the time to move into the management and branded content spheres.

Eight years ago, Emilie Georges’ Memento Films International and its production arm La Cinéfacture quietly launched Paradise City, a specialty label for the outfit, with respected producer Naima Abed helping curate the slate. While the banner co-financed and co-produced a number of genre titles including Jim Mickle’s 2013 Sundance hit We Are What We Are, it was only when the duo worked on Luca Guadagnino’s 2017 Oscar-nominated hit Call Me By Your Name that Georges and Abed began to think about...

Further titles include Pathe’s ‘Notre Dame On Fire’, Vertigo’s ‘She Will’.

Sony thriller Where The Crawdads Sing receives the biggest-ever release for any film directed by a woman at the UK-Ireland box office this weekend, opening in 691 locations.

Directed by Olivia Newman, the film’s total tops the 673-site release for 2019’s Frozen 2, which was directed by Jennifer Lee, alongside Chris Buck; as well as the 650-site release of Cate Shortland’s Black Widow from last year – the previous widest release by a film solely directed by a woman.

Adapted by Lucy Alibar from Delia Owens’ 2018 novel of the same name,...

Busy Australian production company Aquarius Films has partnered with Irish production company Port Pictures to produce the feature film, “The Good People.” The film is based on the award-winning novel by Hannah Kent, who also wrote the adapted screenplay.

“The Good People” is set in 19th century Ireland at a time when the Catholic church was waging war against pagan beliefs. It sees three women conspire to free a young boy from evil spirits.

“The Good People” is an examination of absolute belief and superstition. It depicts a series of actions that are both tender and harsh and raises questions about belonging, understanding and acceptance.

The film is to be produced by Angie Fielder and Polly Staniford of Aquarius Films, and Martina Niland of Port Pictures. The film will be executive produced by Aquarius Films’ Miranda Culley. The film has received development funding from Screen Australia.

Neither a director nor...

The Port Arthur shooting of 1996 in Tasmania remains Australia’s deadliest incidents committed by a single person. That’s a horrifying piece of history to take on for a movie, but Australian filmmaker Justin Kurzel takes a slanted approach to the material by not showing the actual events, but instead what built to them through the eyes of the perpetrator. In his new film, “Nitram,” Caleb Landry Jones play the protagonist (here named Nitram) in a portrait of a psychopath brewing. Kurzel is naturally the fit for the material, as he has plumbed the depths of the dark side of Australian history before with “True History of the Kelly Gang” and “The Snowtown Murders.” Exclusively on IndieWire, watch the trailer for “Nitram” below.

Caleb Landry Jones has been a go-to for playing feral, gnarly characters, from “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” to the gnashing drug addicts in the Safdies’ “Heaven Knows What...

On Tuesday, “The Power of the Dog” director Jane Campion made Oscar history as the first woman to receive two best director nominations.

Campion is nominated in the 2022 directing category opposite Steven Spielberg for “West Side Story,” Kenneth Branagh for “Belfast,” Paul Thomas Anderson for “Licorice Pizza” and Ryusuke Hamaguchi for “Drive My Car.” Her first Oscar nod for directing came in 1994 when she was nominated for “The Piano” at the 66th Academy Awards. She won the Oscar for original screenplay that year.

“It’s both sad but it’s also great that women are punching that glass ceiling out of the way. I really feel things are changing,” Campion told Variety of her directing nomination.

Exactly how much things are changing behind the camera with regard to gender and racial equity has been analyzed by Dr. Stacy Smith and the team at the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative as they release their annual study.

The sense of finality in Avengers: Endgame cast doubt on the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s continuing success after Phase Three. But the resounding successes of Phase Four, from WandaVision to Spider-Man: No Way Home, have proven that Kevin Feige is just getting started. Part of why the MCU continues to feel so fresh is that Feige trusts his filmmakers to follow their own unique vision.

Related: Every MCU Phase Three Director, Ranked

From James Gunn to Taika Waititi, Marvel’s directors are often given free rein with the idiosyncrasies of their style. Phase Four has been graced with MCU gems by such filmmakers as Cate Shortland and Destin Daniel Cretton.

The intoxicating, party-hard capital of Germany goes straight to the head of Samuel Kay Forrest’s feature debut – and not in a good way

From Wings of Desire to Run Lola Run, from Cate Shortland’s Berlin Syndrome to one-take wonder Victoria, quite a few film-makers have been seduced by the liberating possibilities of the German capital. But too much freedom can often equate to directionless freestyling – and the authority-resistant, hard-partying, gender-fluid spirit of Berlin goes straight to the head of Irish writer-director Samuel Kay Forrest in this rambling and cringingly earnest feature debut.

Forrest plays wandering soul Angus, a twentysomething with a side-shave haircut and a thorny family background set on finding himself in the capital of Euro-hedonism. When he’s not railing against fascism and scarpering from the polizei, or oh-so-seditiously spray-painting his tag “HipBeat” around town, he has a budding relationship with local woman Angie (Marie Céline Yildirim). She’s unaware,...