‘Mississippi Grind’ directors sign on for ‘Captain Marvel’

The co-directors of the indie gambling drama “Mississippi Grind” are making the leap to superhero films.

A source close to the project who was not authorized to speak publicly says Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck will direct “Captain Marvel,” which is scheduled for release in March 2019.

Brie Larson is set to star as the titular character in Marvel Studios’ first female-centric superhero film. The script is being co-written by “Inside Out” writer Meg LeFauve and Nicole Perlman, who co-wrote “Guardians of the Galaxy.”

Boden and Fleck also collaborated on the Ryan Gosling drama “Half Nelson.” They’re the latest in a long string of indie directors signing up for studio blockbusters including the likes of Colin Trevorrow, who jumped from “Safety Not Guaranteed” to “Jurassic World” and “Star Wars: Episode IX” and Jon Watts, who graduated from “Cop Car” to this summer’s Spider-Man reboot “Spider-Man: Homecoming.”

“Captain Marvel” is a project that has been closely watched since it was added to Marvel Studios expansive slate. Due to its female lead, many on social media had hoped for a female director, like Warner Bros. did in choosing Patty Jenkins to direct “Wonder Woman.”

When news broke Wednesday, some bristled that the directing team selected would include a man, but others celebrated the choice. Boden and Fleck’s films have been generally well-regarded by critics.

Representatives for the directing team did not immediately respond to request for comment.

-AP