Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images Selma director Ava DuVernay won't be directing Marvel's upcoming Black Panther film after all, following rumors.
The 42-year-old revealed the news on Friday, a day before the Fourth of July, to Essence magazine at the 2015 Essence Festival in New Orleans, while attending the McDonald's 365Black Awards, where she was honored for her positive contributions within the African-American community.
"I guess I'll declare my independence from this rumor on 4th of July weekend and Essence weekend!" she told the outlet. "I'm not signing on to direct Black Panther."
"I think I'll just say we had different ideas about what the story would be," DuVernay continued. "Marvel has a certain way of doing things and I think they're fantastic and a lot of people love what they do. I loved that they reached out to me."
Marvel has not commented on her remarks.
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Rumors about DuVernay's participation began several months ago. When asked if she was "under consideration" to direct Black Panther, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige told The Hollywood Reporter in June, "We've met with her for sure. We've met with a number of people for a number of movies. She has been one of them."
Had she signed on, she would have become the first black female director of a superhero movie.
Last week, DuVernay posted a cryptic tweet.
"Yes. I hope I get the call to direct the motion picture about a black superhero I admire. Her name is @BreeNewsome," she said, referring to an activist who was arrested for scaling a flagpole outside the South Carolina state capitol and removing the Confederate flag after President Barack Obama called it a "reminder of systemic oppression and racial subjugation."
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The Black Panther movie stars Get On Up's Chadwick Boseman as main character T'Challa, ruler of Wakanda. Marvel and Disney, which owns the comic book giant, announced he had won the coveted role during an event featuring the likes of Iron Man star Robert Downey Jr. and Captain America's Chris Evans.
"I'm blessed to be a part of this Marvel Universe and working with you both," Boseman had said. "I'm looking forward to making magic together."
Black Panther is set for release in 2017 and is being touted as the first Marvel standalone film featuring a black superhero in years, following the Blade movies, which starred Wesley Snipes.
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