Other than his introduction in Captain America: Civil War, Black Panther, his tropical homeland of Wakanda, and his mythos will be brand new to the big screen.
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Marvel has officially cast another villain for the upcoming live-action Black Panther movie starting Chadwick Bosemen as the titular hero and directed by Ryan Coogler (Creed).
Winston Duke, from Person of Interest, has landed the key role of M’Baku better known as Man-Ape.
In the comics, Man-Ape is a long-time foe of Black Panther and the technologically advanced country of Wakanda.
He’s the powerful ruler of the Jabari Tribe, which is a recognized micronation within Wakanda’s borders. M’Baku is the African nation’s greatest warrior second only to Black Panther, making him a worthy opponent. He once plotted to take the throne with the help of White Gorilla.
According to Variety, Marvel had been testing several actors for the role over the past week, including “The Get Down” actor Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, before casting Duke.
With Creed director Ryan Coogler, an impressive cast made up of over 90% African-American actors including the talented Michael B. Jordan (Killmonger) Lupita Nyong’o (Nakia), Danai Gurira (Oynko) and newcomer Winston Duke, Black Panther is likely to make history in the comic book movie genre.
Marvel’s Black Panther will release in theaters on February 16, 2018.