Jordan Peele: ‘Ryan Coogler and Ava DuVernay Are Heroes’ For Directing Historic Disney Blockbusters
Zack Sharf
Ryan Coogler‘s “Black Panther” premiered last night and dazzled nearly everyone who saw it. Film critics are already calling the Marvel superhero film “iconic” and “incredible,” but nobody had a better or more emotional reaction than Jordan Peele. The “Get Out” director sent love to Coogler the morning after the premiere, and he also made sure to praise “A Wrinkle in Time” director Ava DuVernay as well.
“Ryan Coogler and Ava DuVernay are heroes,” Peele shared on Twitter. “I feel lucky to be alive to witness what they’re doing.”
Ryan Coogler and @ava are heroes. I feel lucky to be alive to witness what they’re doing. 🐾⏱🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾
— Jordan Peele (@JordanPeele) January 30, 2018
Coogler is the first black director to helm a movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The movie set a Marvel record as the biggest advanced ticket seller in its first 24 hours, besting the superhero-filled “Captain America: Civil War.” The tentpole is expected to easily cross the $100 million mark at the box office when it debuts over President’s Day weekend, and some say it could reach over $120 million.
DuVernay, meanwhile, is making history with “A Wrinkle in Time” as the first woman of color to direct a live-action film with a budget of $100 million. Both “A Wrinkle in Time” and “Black Panther” are backed by Disney.
DuVerney employed color blind casting for the film, hiring the African-American actress Storm Reid to lead the film as Meg Murray. DuVernay herself sent Coogler some love before the “Black Panther” premiere, saying the two edited their films together during the same eight months on the Disney lot.
We edited our films across the hall from each other for 8 months. We talked in our edit bays, on walks around the lot. About our films, our dreams. Tonight, his comes true. On my way to the #BlackPanther premiere with a full heart for my fam, director extraordinaire #RyanCoogler! pic.twitter.com/lrxBNRsqeC
— Ava DuVernay (@ava) January 30, 2018
Peele also made history earlier this year thanks to “Get Out,” for which he became the fifth black filmmaker in history to be nominated for the Best Director Oscar.
