The American media franchise and shared fictional universe that is centered in a series of superhero films, independently produced by Marvel Studios, The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), will debut the Black Panther next year in Captain America: Civil War. Black Panther and will have its own movie in 2018.

The solo film of the Black Panther has had its share of chatter lately about who will be the director, even if the film is slated to hit the theaters three years from now.

Director Ava DuVernay almost took the directing job for Black Panther, and eventually Ava DuVernay passed on the project. Recently, a fascinating new directing candidate may be in the running for Black Panther and that is director F. Gary Gray, helming  this month's N.W.A. biopic Straight Outta Compton.

Director Felix Gary Gray is an American music video and film director. And  F. Gary Gray directed Friday, Set It Off and The Negotiator, as well as the remake of The Italian Job.

When director F. Gary Gray was interviewed about his upcoming movie, Straight Outta Compton, the director was asked that, he might be in the running to helm Black Panther. The director stated, "I would love to direct a superhero movie, man. We'll see what happens. If it's right, I'm there."

This isn't the first time that director F. Gary Gray has been linked to a Marvel film, as the director was in the running to direct Captain America: The Winter Soldier back in 2012, but director F. Gary Gray dropped the job, so he could direct Straight Outta Compton then the Russo Brothers took over the Captain America project.

Chadwick Boseman is confirmed to star in the Black Panther solo film, and possibly Andy Serkis will be seen in the movie to reprise Ulysses Klaw as the Black Panther's most notorious adversary from the comics, who was last seen in Avengers: Age of Ultron getting his arm sliced off by the eponymous villain.

Black Panther is slated to hit theaters on July 6, 2018.