As Captain Marvel nears its March premiere, its directors have begun teasing the tone of the film. In an interview with Fandango, directors Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck said that their original intent was to give Captain Marvel a buddy cop movie feel. Comparing their film to the 80s classic Lethal Weapon, Boden and Fleck say that the relationship between Brie Larson’s Carol Danvers/Captain Marvel and Samuel L. Jackson’s Nick Fury drives the film. Elaborating, Fleck said that while the film has serious a plotline involving forces from both our world and outer space, it is still interspersed with humor and witty exchanges between Danvers and Fury. In agreement with Fleck’s assessment, Boden says that the friendship between the two characters was the touchstone for the film.

When asked if Captain Marvel would provide any hints at possible plot details for April’s Avengers: Endgame, Boden and Fleck said that the film is self-contained and is the story of Carol Danvers. Elaborating further, the duo said that the film takes place in the 90s, long before the establishment of the Avengers Initiative and Tony Stark creating the Iron Man armor. The directors also explained the process of de-aging Samuel L. Jackson so that he could look younger in the film. Boden and Fleck say that Jackson is the sole performer of Fury in the film. This differs from the usual technique that filmmakers use to de-age characters, which typically involves a younger actor performing the scenes followed by heavy use of CGI to make the character look like their original performer. Boden and Fleck say that Jackson was able to portray Fury in Captain Marvel because, physically, he is in excellent shape for a man who just turned 70. Jackson’s performance is nevertheless enhanced by CGI.

While the film will sure to be a technical wonder, it is at its heart the story of Carol Danvers. As Boden explains, one of the driving plot points of the film is Danvers trying to find her true identity. Jonathan Schwartz, the film’s producer, says that Danvers comes to Earth following a battle with the Skrulls, the major villains of the movie. Crash landing on the planet, Danvers meets SHIELD Agent Nick Fury, who helps her as she tries to piece together her past.

Captain Marvel is set for release on March 8, 2019.