“Black Panther,” the first mainstream comic with a black superhero, has lined up Chadwick Boseman from "42" as the the star of the upcoming movie, but producers at Marvel Studios are still looking for a director.

Now that "Selma's" Ava DuVernay has turned down the job -- and with the issue of diversity in Hollywood taking center stage -- the question has arisen whether Marvel needs to hire an African-American director.

The answer, says Anthony Mackie, who has appeared as Falcon/Samuel Wilson in "Avengers: Age of Ultron" and "Ant-Man," is an emphatic no.

“I don’t think it’s important at all,” the 37-year-old tells the Daily Beast. "As a director your job is to tell a story. You know, they didn’t get a horse to direct 'Seabiscuit!'"

He continues: "The thing is I don’t think the race of the director has to do with their ability to tell a story. I think it’s all about the director’s ability to be able to relate to that story and do it justice. I think men can direct women, and two of my greatest work experiences were with female directors. So I think it all depends. May the best man — or woman— win.”