Chadwick Boseman to portray African samurai in 'Yasuke'

May 8 (UPI) -- Chadwick Boseman has been tapped to play an African man who becomes a samurai in 16th century Japan in Yasuke.

The titular Yasuke was a native of Portuguese Mozambique who arrived in Japan in 1579 as a slave. He gained the interest of warlord Nobunaga with the pair becoming friends and Yasuke later becoming a samurai.

Narcos co-creator Doug Miro is penning the script with Erik Feig, Mike De Luca, Stephen L'Heureux, Logan Coles' and Boseman producing.

"The legend of Yasuke is one of history's best kept secrets, the only person of non-Asian origin to become a samurai," Boseman said in a statement. "That's not just an action movie, that's a cultural event, an exchange, and I am excited to be part of it."

Boseman is best known for portraying Black Panther throughout Disney's Marvel cinematic universe.

The actor will next be seen in cop thriller 21 Bridges which arrives in theaters on July 12 and in Spike Lee's first Netflix movie titled Da 5 Bloods about a group of Vietnam veterans.