MTV reports that Marvel could be crowning the King of Wakanda sooner than we think.
Lost actor Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje says he is currently in early discussions with Marvel about possibly playing the lead role for T’Challa.
“We’re talking to Marvel about ‘Black Panther,’” Akinnuoye-Agbaje said. “This is the first round, so you know, hopefully they’ll look at ‘G.I. Joe’ and see the potential. But it’s about time we have a black superhero, isn’t it?”
Obviously, this sort of thing could fall apart at any moment, as there have been rumors in the past of actors ranging from Chiwetel Ejiofor to Djimon Honsou (who will now play the voice of the character in the BET animated series) to Wesley Snipes in the works for years, but it’s an interesting lead.
July 30th, 2009 at 11:40 am
Well, there was Storm. And I’m pretty sure we’re getting War Machine before this could be made. Also, does Blade count?
Still, I take his meaning.
July 30th, 2009 at 11:51 am
IMHO, he’d be a horrible Black Panther.
July 30th, 2009 at 12:22 pm
Well, there has never really been a Black superhero as the lead of a major motion picture that wasn’t a monster (Spawn, Blade) or just slapstick (Blankman, Meteor Man, Undercover Brother, Pootie Tang). Storm and War Machine are supporting roles in X-Men and Iron Man, not the lead. And Catwoman doesn’t count because . . . well, it doesn’t count.
July 30th, 2009 at 12:34 pm
I have to admit a preference for Ejiofor myself, based on his Serenity performance.
July 30th, 2009 at 12:47 pm
Add Spawn, and Steel, and whatever we see of Nick Fury – and someone’s agent hasn’t been paying much attention.
Nevertheless, I liked him in Lost…
July 30th, 2009 at 1:23 pm
I like him as an actor (he was great on lost), but i’m not sure he screams ‘T’challa’ to me… Too round of features maybe? i see T’challa looking more chiseled…
just curiously, are there rumors of a Black Panther movie in the works, or would this possibly be for Avengers, or would this be for voicing the BET BP cartoon ~ cuz, voice-wise i think he’d be great…
July 30th, 2009 at 5:17 pm
He would be good to have in the cast of Black Panther but not as Black Panther.
Ejiofor is a good actor,but have you seen Djimon Hounsou in action?Physic,look,ect etc the guy is Panther.
He looks just like Tchalla from Priest’s run.
July 31st, 2009 at 8:23 am
I miss Mr. Eko on Lost (never understood why he apparently wanted out)… Not sure how I feel about him as T’Challa. Maybe, but as someone else pointed out he needs to work himself hard and get more “chiseled” before he can play the role. If he can do that, it might work. Either way, I’d like to see him in the finlm, somewhere, even if it’s not T’Challa.
At least no one’s talking about casting Will Smith (yet).
July 31st, 2009 at 8:29 am
I think it’s clear that he means a black superhero in a LEAD role, not supporting….much like in the comics.
Nick Fury’s a bit of a reach on that list, by the way.
August 1st, 2009 at 7:42 am
Would have preferred Colin Salmon but he’s getting too old for the role, same for Honsou, they’re both in their late forties, and since they’ll most likely be aiming for a trilogy, they’ll be nearing sixty by the time the last movie is released. Could see Idris Elba in the role though.