| Advertisement |
LOS ANGELES, Oct. 28 (UPI) -- Chadwick Boseman has been cast as superhero Black Panther. The 37-year-old actor will first portray the character in Captain America: Civil War in 2016, and will reprise the role for solo film Black Panther in 2017.
Advertisement
"I'm blessed to be a part of this Marvel Universe, and to work with [Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man and Chris Evans as Captain America]," Boseman said at a Marvel event Tuesday.
In the original comics, Black Panther begins as a prince of fictional African nation Wakanda. He falls in love with future X-Men member Storm, then known as Ororo Munroe, and joins the Avengers after moving to the U.S. The character possesses superhuman senses, strength and agility, and sides with Captain America in Civil War.
"Black Panther and all of Wakanda is one of the most interesting characters in Marvel history," Marvel president Kevin Feige opined. "He's a bit of a prince, he may even become a king, but it's all about how this isolationist country meets the world. Maybe it goes well, maybe it doesn't."
In addition to Captain America: Civil War and Black Panther, Feige announced Doctor Strange, Guardians of the Galaxy 2, Thor: Ragnarok, Captain Marvel, Inhumans and Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 and Part 2.
Boseman is best known for portraying Jackie Robinson in 42 and James Brown in Get on Up. The actor will next appear alongside Gerard Butler, Geoffrey Rush, Brendan Thwaites and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau in Gods of Egypt in 2016.
