Im still pinching myself, Onah tells Deadline aboutBrave New World, which hits theaters globally today.
DEADLINE:Its over six years since I met you when you launchedLuceat Sundance.
Whats it like, spending so long with the characters to craft a big Marvel superhero franchise?
Julius Onah and Anthony Mackie as Captain America in ‘Captain America- Brave New World’Alex J. Berliner/ABImages/Marvel / Walt Disney
ONAH: Im incredibly grateful to be a part of this world.
BetweenLucepremiering in 2019 and this movie, there was a little pandemic in between.
In particular, thrillers that have elements of paranoia.
Stories about complicated relationships where sometimes its not as easy as good and evil, black and white.
It has been a lot of fun to play too with things that are different from what came before.
DEADLINE:You directedLuceandThe Cloverfield Paradox, and then suddenly you are playing in the Marvel sandbox.
Ever a point in this experience where you wished you had a few more films under your belt?
It has been a lifetime of wanting to do something like this.
Im eager to continue to find ways to combine performance and technology to tell stories.
Companies like Weta, stunt coordinators and fight coordinators.
How did that help you here?
ONAH: The cast on Luce was phenomenal.
The incredible Naomi Watts and Octavia Spencer going toe-to-toe; the incredible Tim Roth and Kelvin Harrison Jr.
There is a sequence in that movie where Octavias sister breaks into a school and strips nude.
That was one of the hardest shooting days of my career.
That absolutely prepared me for making something like this.
The other thing I took away was the rehearsal process.
Whats it like for a writer/director to drop in when bonds and mythology are already there?
ONAH: The process was very organic.
DEADLINE: How old were you when you first sawIndiana Jones?
ONAH:Wow, I first sawIndiana Jones, I think, in 1989.
And the first one I saw was the third movie.
So,the Last Crusade.
ONAH:Im still pinching myself, Justin.
So, I first saw him, you know, at 6 but then there was another seminal moment.
And I sawClear and Present Danger.
So, here I am now on a Zoom with Harrison Ford and Kevin Feige and Nate Moore and.
Kyana Davidson and Lou DEsposito our great team on the movie.
And then from there I went to Harrisons house.
Were having a drink and you’re able to see how his mind works.
He had his script out and he had notes.
DEADLINE:What was that mano a mano day like?
So, it was actually a really, really fun day.
DEADLINE:What subject matter and stories are you most interested in exploring next?
Im based in Berlin and Im looking for stories there too.
Theres a horror movie that Ive been developing for quite some time.
And Id love to make a musical.
So, theres a lot I would love to tackle next.
DEADLINE:Kelvin showed his vocal skills inMufasa.
Another go-around down the road for the two of you?
ONAH: Justin, I will not deny that, that crossed my mind.
ONAH: I will most miss the moments of sitting around with the team and talking about movies.
They mention theDay of the Jackal, I mentionedPoint Blankand movies of that sort.
Its just so much fun.
