Creed is not only surprisingly great for a sequel to one of the most iconic franchises in history, but it’s genuinely one of the very best films of the year thanks in huge part to the directorial talent of Ryan Coogler. It seems as though audiences and critics aren’t the only ones taken with Creed, as the director is reportedly in talks with Marvel to helm the Black Panther solo film — and he’s the absolute best choice for the job.

Birth.Movies.Death reports that Marvel is in talks with Coogler to direct Black Panther, though nothing has been officially confirmed by either the director or the studio. But Coogler is definitely an excellent pick to bring the prince of Wakanda’s superhero story to the big screen.

After making his feature debut on the critically-acclaimed Fruitvale Station, Coogler won the job of directing Creed, a new sequel / semi-spinoff to the classic Rocky franchise with Sylvester Stallone reprising his iconic role opposite Michael B. Jordan as Adonis Creed, son of Rocky’s greatest opponent and friend.

Coogler proved that making the leap from indies to big-budget studio features can pay off in a huge, huge way — Creed has poignant and intimate moments between characters, as well as some truly great boxing sequences, including a particularly impressive single-take shot. Major studios love taking indie directors and putting them on blockbusters, though the risk doesn’t always yield such exceptional rewards.

Marvel has been seeking the right director for Black Panther, and Coogler could very well be their guy — or he should be, anyway. Selma director Ava DuVernay previously turned down an offer to helm the project due to creative differences, while the studio has tapped in-house writer Joe Robert Cole to deliver a screenplay.

Chadwick Boseman is set to make his debut as the superhero in Captain America: Civil War on May 6, 2016, with the Black Panther solo film arriving on February 16, 2018.

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