After Nia DaCosta signed on to direct Candyman, which went on to become the first Black movie to open at the top box office, the director met Julia Rothman (New York Times illustrator and columnist). She was randomly interviewing people about their debt relationships.
Advertisement
Although many may not be familiar with Little Woods' earlier work, DaCosta spoke about her $100,000 student debt. Many could relate to the stress of paying back that amount (plus interest) every month. DaCosta decided that in 2019 she needed to get rid of this stress by finding a huge, Avengers-level directing job. This would allow her to pay it all off in one go.
In 2020, DaCosta announced that he was to direct the sequel to Marvel Studios Captain Marvel, The Marvels.
DaCosta, like any celebrity with good judgment who suddenly finds themselves in the spotlight in a big way, quietly left social media shortly after The Marvels news started making the rounds. Most of the buzz has been about Candyman's box office success. However, DaCosta talked about her personal journey to booking The Marvels. She explained that the movie did not erase the financial burden she mentioned in the Times.
G/O Media could be eligible for a commission on the HP Chromebook 11. This is a great back-to-school pick!
Students love the long battery life. Purchase HP for $230
DaCosta stated that I said, "I will only pay them off when I get a Marvel film." And even though I now have one, Im like Jesus. I still don't think I can pay them all off." They think I paid them off as if I had just started the job. This is not the way you get paid through [Directors Guild of America].
DaCosta's comments are made at a time when actors and directors in particular are speaking out about their pay. This is part of a wider discussion about equity in the film industry. Each director's and actor's situation with a studio is unique. However, Marvel used to have a tiered structure in which the size of employees checks was determined by factors such as their star power or centrality to their respective franchises. The financial success of a project has influenced the amount that directors and actors pay. This means that the more money a film like The Marvels earns at the box office the more DaCosta stars Brie Larson and Teyonah Paarris will be paid.
Advertisement
DaCosta expressed her readiness to dive into The Marvels production (the episode of Blank Check was taped some time back). DaCosta stated that she has been prepping for 10 years and now it is time to shoot. You can only prepare a movie for a film this big, so I'm ready to go. Lets do it.
Candyman is now in theaters, while The Marvels will be in theaters November 11, 2022.
Are you curious about where our RSS feed went. The new one can be found here.
