Captain Marvel: Some Things We Learned From the Press Junket

Ever since I was a young girl, I always felt like the world wanted me to act and be a certain way. A lot of my movie heroines and idols were princesses, and they were looking for true love, and as great as that might have been, I was always more drawn to the likes of characters like Sarah Connor, Buffy, and Ellen Ripley on screen. Tough female heroes who could hold their own in a battle, and didn’t need to be the damsel in distress. So, of course, there was one Marvel superhero who would shine over many of the rest for me, and that was Carol Danvers, known more popularly by her superhero name, Captain Marvel!

So imagine my delight when I found out, not only were we getting a Captain Marvel film but even better, I’d get to cover! For me, that was a truly exciting moment that I honestly had never expected could happen. To be honest, this was my first ever press junket, and for it to be a film about a character that was empowering to me when I was young and would empower many more little girls around the world to be the heroes they never knew they could be, I had to do it! Honestly, it still doesn’t even feel real, but I got to sit in a room with Brie Larson, Samuel L. Jackson, Clark Gregg, Kevin Feige, Lashana Lynch, Jude Law, and directors Anna Boden, and Ryan Fleck! That’s a lot of amazing talent, and getting to listen to them break down what this film meant to all of them was truly fun.

But I’m sure you guys want to hear what they actually had to say, that’s why you’re here! Below, you’ll find some of the biggest takeaways from the press conference for Captain Marvel, which will be hitting theaters on March 8, 2019!

• Kevin Feige said that Anna and Ryan’s previous work together and their focus on character is what landed them the Captain Marvel job. Feige believed they wouldn’t lose the character of Carol Danvers amongst the spectacle and action that the film offered, making them a clear choice for the film.
• Anna also spoke so eloquently about Carol Danvers and female heroes that Feige felt they had to have her on the character.
• Brie says that there’s a lot to love about Carol, and that’s why she was so excited to play her. She was afraid of playing a superhero who was perfect, but Danvers offered her a chance to play a character who was a major risk taker and far from perfect. That meant that things weren’t always going to work out for the best, which is true to life, and Brie could relate to that. It meant that the character would have to get back up and keep going forward, making her stronger, something everyone can relate to.
• Brie also talked about how far she pushed gender norms in her training for the film, and she loved proving how much the female body could do. She was able to deadlift two hundred and twenty-five pounds, as well as push her trainer’s jeep up a hill for sixty-seconds, which Samuel L. Jackson has footage of!
• When asked about how they brought the film back to the 1990s, and if it the music was chosen before shooting or done post. Ryan Fleck said that they had a playlist that they gave Marvel early on, but for the most part, they found the songs they would use in post-production with what fits best with the scenes.
• Fleck also worked at a Blockbuster in 1995, so he said recreating that set brought back a lot of memories for him. We all miss Blockbuster, Mr. Fleck, so it brought back our memories too!
• Jackson said his favorite part of playing Fury this time around was that we were getting to see a younger, less world-weary version of the character. He hasn’t met anyone with superpowers yet, and he doesn’t hold the weight of the cosmic knowledge on his shoulder. He said it was fun to play it less seriously in the end.
• He also added it was a bonus that he got to play the role with two eyes for once since he wouldn’t have to have one covered up as we’re so used to seeing him in the films.
• Jackson also joked that he felt like he was from Wakanda while making the film since he had little dots added to his face, as well as a wig to wear, to bring this younger version of Fury to life.
• Feige joked that the two humans on earth who really don’t need the de-aging technology that Marvel is becoming very popular for using are the two people who it’s used on in this film, Clark Gregg and Samuel L. Jackson. He said they haven’t aged since 1995, so it saved them a lot of money.
• Brie and Lashana said that one of the grounding factors of the film that makes it work the best, and makes the film feel so natural, was that their characters were truly family. There’s so much love between them, you can truly feel the connection coming off the screen.
• Clark Gregg joked that they didn’t have to really ask him to come back. “They said 90’s film, great music, buddy film with you and Sam, Anna and Ryan, oh…and Brie Larson is Captain Marvel.” He responded, “Where do I go?!”
• Gregg said it was really fun to do, and he’s excited that he took his young daughter to a bunch of Marvel films early on, but now he gets to take her, a 17-year-old woman, to the premiere next week. It’s the most proud he’s ever been.
• Apparently, Ryan and Anna wanted to use a standee for The Mask in the Blockbuster scene, to make a joke about the Skrulls, but the studio who owns the rights said no. So instead, they used a standee for James Cameron’s True Lies.
• Brie said that she never fully wanted to feel like she had Carol, and that’s how she plays all her roles. She says that it always likes the feeling of it always being a bit elusive because you’re on the journey with the character.
• When asked what each of them took away from this film, everyone answered as follows:
  – Lashana said her biggest takeaway was her appreciation for single mothers and the work that they do.
  – Jude Law said his was those he met and the relationships he made on set
  – Brie’s was figuring out she was stronger than she knew she could be.
  – Jackson’s was seeing that his friend Brie was going to be crossing over into movie star
  – Gemma’s was learning if you play a blue character, you need to be on set at 3 am
  – Gregg’s was after eleven years of being in this universe, over many films and multiple tv series, to go back to a space where it was an origin film and everyone was incredibly excited for what they were doing, it was a magical feeling.
  – Anna’s was her finding that she is comfortable and confident in herself and being seen, instead of hiding
  – Ryan’s was just learning how kick ass his directing partner Anna really is!
• Samuel L. Jackson was asked about working with the cats in the film and said he is not a cat person or a pet person in general, but Reggie was snack-oriented, so he showed up to do his work.
• Anna and Ryan both said that the spontaneity of what a cat can do that made having a live cat vs a CG cat more special. Reggie was apparently very respected and very easily directed.

There was so much to take away, but at the end of the day, you could tell that everyone involved with Captain Marvel really poured all of themselves into making not only the best movie possible but one that the audience would really respond to. Everyone really cared about making sure they delivered a film that was exciting, thoughtful, and also represented many people across the board. It truly shows in the film. So check out Captain Marvel when it opens on March 8, 2019!