‘Captain Marvel’ Directors Compare Film To ’48 Hrs.’ & ‘Lethal Weapon’ While Maybe Hinting At A Surprise Cameo

Every single time that Marvel Studios attempts to launch a new solo superhero franchise, fans begin to ask, “Is this the time that Kevin Feige and Co. will falter and release a dud?” And every single time, fans’ worries are put to bed, thanks to a consistency that has been unrivaled in the history of Hollywood. Knowing this, we still are sitting here three months away from “Captain Marvel” launching the MCU’s first solo female superhero franchise, and there’s still that worry. But when you hear co-directors Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck describe their tone for the film, it’s hard to imagine any scenario where “Captain Marvel” is anything less than a massive success.

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Speaking to Fandango, Boden and Fleck were asked a number of questions about their upcoming leap into the superhero genre. However, it was when they were asked about their tone and what other films “Captain Marvel” feels similar to that caught our attention.

“We approached this movie as being, at the heart of it, this mystery of self-identity for Captain Marvel. It has a lot of playfulness in it, and that kind of buddy-cop vibe that Captain Marvel has with the Nick Fury character was really an important touchstone for us,” said Boden.

Fleck agreed and added, “Yeah. Like the ’80s and ’90s buddy-cop movies, like ‘48 Hrs.’ or ‘Lethal Weapon.’ We have some of that. Those movies, even the serious ones, they have a really terrific sense of humor, and we wanted to maintain that as well.”

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No, it’s not every remotely surprising that a Marvel Studios superhero film will have an element of humor. That being said, since the trailers have been pushing this idea that the film is a bit of a team-up between Carol Danvers, aka Captain Marvel, and a young Nick Fury, played by Samuel L. Jackson, it’s pretty awesome to think that fans might be in store for a bit of chemistry between partners a la Riggs and Murtaugh in “Lethal Weapon.”

Another part of the interview that seems to have caught the eye of comic book fans around the world is an exchange that seems to hint that maybe there’s a big-time cameo in the film. Of course, it wouldn’t be an MCU film if there weren’t at least a few Easter Eggs and cameos that will tickle the fancy of nerds worldwide. But if fan speculation is correct, and this conversation is a hint about what’s to come, “Captain Marvel” could have a pretty big surprise cameo in store.

**Spoiler Warning – Not really, but perhaps, if fans are correct, the following character could show up in “Captain Marvel.” Proceed with caution.**

When Boden and Fleck were asked about “Captain Marvel’s” place in the MCU timeline, Boden said, “All we can say is this is a ’90s film, a ’90s period film. Where Sam Jackson is a younger version of Nick Fury.”

“And Tony Stark hasn’t figured out how to become Iron Man yet, so …” Fleck added.

“That’s all we can say,” Boden concluded.

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Obviously, if Feige and the rest of the folks behind the scenes can figure out how to shoehorn Robert Downey, Jr, aka Tony Stark, in the film, they’re going to do that. But just as a pragmatic cameo, the speculation holds water. Put on your tinfoil nerd caps and let’s get into super speculative territory.

Ever since the first trailer for “Avengers: Endgame” revealed that Tony Stark is lost in space, many fans suspected that Captain Marvel would be the way that Stark finds his way back to Earth to help avenge the team’s butt-whooping courtesy of Thanos. If that’s the case, it would make sense to introduce the seeds of that relationship between Danvers and Stark in “Captain Marvel,” with the billionaire being a bit of a pain in the ass, party type and the fighter pilot being the uptight, rule-follower to balance it out.

Or maybe that’s just crazy talk.

Either way, we’ll find out on March 8, when “Captain Marvel” hits theaters.