Marvel reportedly pursuing Rocky spinoff director for Black Panther

Finding a director for Marvel's upcoming Black Panther film has been a contentious ordeal, with rumored talent dropping from the position like flies. Now, Heroic Hollywood is reporting that studio executives have honed in on another young director they want to lead the project: Ryan Coogler.

Coogler, most notable for his first feature film, Fruitvale Station, is also writing and directing the upcoming Rocky spinoff, Creed, which will see him work alongside Michael B. Jordan (Fantastic Four) for a second time.

Although the director hasn't joined official talks with the studio over the posting, sources did tell the site Marvel is actively pursuing him.

Prior to rumors of Coogler joining the film, F. Gary Gray was allegedly in serious talks to direct, but chose Universal's eighth installment of the Fast and Furious franchise instead. Before that, Ava DuVernay (Selma) was originally attached to the project, but passed on the final offer after rumors spread that she was unhappy with Marvel's notorious imposed limitations on directors creative control.

American Crime Story scribe and graduate of Marvel's in-house writing program, Joe Robert Cole, is nearing a deal to pen the feature.

The release for Black Panther has changed numerous times since it was announced, and is now scheduled to be released during Black History Month on Feb. 16, 2018.