Marvel’s ‘Black Panther’ Adds Forest Whitaker, Daniel Kaluuya, And Florence Kasumba
Forest Whitakeris making the leap from one massive Disney franchise to another. TheRogue Onestar has just signed on forBlack Panther, Marvel’s upcoming superhero pic starringChadwick Bosemanas the Wakandan prince T’Challa. Also just added areDaniel Kaluuya(Get Out) andFlorence Kasumba(Captain America: Civil War).Michael B. Jordan,Lupita Nyong’o,Danai Gurira, andWinston Dukealso star, andRyan Coogler(Creed) directs.
Scripted by Coogler andJoe Robert Cole,Black Pantherpicks back up with the character after his introduction earlier this year inCaptain America: Civil War. Following the death of his father, T’Challa must take over as the ruler of Wakanda. But the transition is not without some rough spots. Here’s how Nyong’o described the plot a couple of months ago: “Black Panther’s leadership has been threatened by two foes who come together, and so Black Panther gets the help of the C.I.A. and the Dora Milaje to try and defeat the enemy.”
Varietybroke the news of the Forest Whitaker Black Panther casting. Unofficially, he’s filling the “acclaimed older actor there to lend some gravitas” role in the movie, like Michael Douglas inAnt-Manor Robert Redford inCaptain America: The Winter Soldier. Officially, he is playing an elder statesman of Wakanda named Zuri. In the comics Zuri is a warrior in his own right and one of T’Challa’s most trusted allies.TheWrapadds that Kasumba will be reprising her role fromCaptain America: Civil Waras Ayo, a member of the Dora Milaje. You might not recognize her by name (because I don’t think anyone actually said it in the movie), but you almost certainly remember her scene-stealing appearance in the movie as T’Challa’s head of security. Ayo recently got the spotlight in the Marvel comic book seriesBlack Panther: World of Wakanda, alongside her colleague and romantic partner Aneka.
And Kaluuya will fill the role of W’Kabi, T’Challa’s confidant. The character’s comic book counterpart is T’Challa’s competent and loyal second-in-command and the chief of Wakandan security. As previously reported, Jordan plays the villain Erik Killmonger, while Duke was added another villain, M’Baku the Man-Ape. Gurira and Nyong’o play Okoye and Nakia, other members of the Dora Milaje.
Whitaker was seen in the TV miniseriesRootsearlier this year has two big movies still to come this winter, Denis Villeneuve’sArrivalin November andRogue One: A Star Wars Storyin December. He previously worked with Coogler and Jordan onFruitvale Station, which he produced.
Kaluuya is a British actor whose credits include the British TV showsSkins,Black Mirror, andBabylon, though he’s probably best known in the U.S. for co-starring inSicario. We just recently saw him in the first trailer forGet Out, Jordan Peele’s directorial debut. And Kasumba is a German actress who will next be seen in another superhero movie, Warner Bros. and DC’sWonder Woman.
