It’s taken Marvel longer than it probably should have for them to fully hand the directorial reins over to a woman director, but that time is finally here. THR reports Cate Shortland, the director of acclaimed films Somersault, Lore, and the recent Berlin Syndrome, will take the helm of Marvel’s Black Widow movie.
Shortland beat out some strong contenders for the job, including Kimberly Peirce, Maggie Betts, Amma Asante, Melanie Laurent and others. It was star Scarlett Johansson who gave Shortland the edge, having been a fan of the filmmaker’s work. She’ll be working from a script by Jac Schaeffer that will reportedly be set before Joss Whedon’s The Avengers. Just how far back that means is unclear, but speculation has been that it could go back to her early days as a Russian spy.
Marvel met with dozens of potential directors before deciding on Shortland, and they have made an excellent choice. One of Shortland’s talents is highlighting new stars, whether it’s Sam Worthington, Abbie Cornish, or Saskia Rosendahl. Berlin Syndrome gave Teresa Palmer one of her best roles, as well. It makes me hope Shortland will have the opportunity to launch another new star.
