Black Panther Gets Michael B. Jordan, Is He the Villain?

Just one day after we reported that Oscar winnerLupita Nyong’ois in talks to join Marvel’sBlack Panther, the cast just keeps getting bigger and bigger. Today we have word thatCreedstarMichael B. Jordanhas signed on to join the cast, which also includesChadwick BosemanasT’challa, a.k.a.Black Panther. While no details have been released regarding his character, it has been rumored that the actor is playing a villain of some sort.

Fans got their first look atBlack Pantherin Marvel’s current blockbusterCaptain America: Civil War, which has already earned a whopping $780 million after just one full week in theaters. Thepost-credit sceneinCaptain America: Civil Waralso gave us our first look atBlack Panther’s homeland of Wakanda, with a massive facility where The Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan) is now being held. We don’t know for sure ifBlack Pantherwill be surfacing in any of the other Marvel Cinematic Universe movies that are coming out beforeBlack Pantherhits theaters on June 07, 2025.

As forMichael B. Jordan, the actor is no stranger to the superhero genre. Last year, he portrayed Johnny Storm/The Human Torch in 20th Century Fox’sFantastic Fourreboot, which failed to make much of a dent at the box office. Ironically, today’s casting news comes just hours after we reported thatFantastic FourproducerSimon Kinbergstill wants to makeFantastic Four 2, but there are no concrete plans for that sequel as of yet. It isn’t known for sure how many major characters have yet to be cast inBlack Panther, and no story details have been revealed.

Ryan Coogleris directingBlack Panther, and he is also currently re-working the script that was originally written byJoe Robert Cole. ProducerKevin Feigerevealed last month that Marvel Studios is aiming to start production onBlack Pantherin January of 2017, but we don’t know for sure where exactly filming will take place. We also don’t know if another prominent Wakandan character,Andy Serkis' Ulysses Klaue, who was introduced inAvengers: Age of Ultron, will return inBlack Panther, butKevin Feigehas said in the past that we haven’t seen the last of Klaue.

This project will markMichael B. Jordan’s third collaboration withRyan Coogler, who has starred in both of the director’s feature films thus far, the 2013 dramaFruitvale Stationand last year’s blockbusterCreed. The actor is also developing a remake ofThe Thomas Crown Affair, withJordanset to star in and produce alongsideCaptain America: Civil WardirectorsAnthony RussoandJoe Russo. Stay tuned for more casting updates forBlack Panther.