Kevin Feige talks ‘Black Panther’ and the cast of ‘almost entirely people of color’
Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige didn’t need to reassure fans, but spoke about Black Panther, explaining why it will be awesome.
“I think it’s two things,” he said, per Vulture. “Black Panther is a huge part of the Marvel Comics mythology, and has been for 50-plus years. Other than his awesome, relatively brief appearance in Civil War, his history has been relatively untapped.”
Fans have started a hashtag to show their love: #BlackPantherSoLit
Chadwick Boseman stars in the titular role, alongside Lupita Nyong’o, Michael B. Jordan, Forest Whitaker, Danai Gurira, Martin Freeman (one of the few non-black cast members), Sterling K. Brown, and Daniel Kaluuya. Ryan Coogler, the man behind Creed and Fruitvale Station, directed the project.
“It’s really exciting that this part of the universe is so unbelievably diverse and looks unlike any of the other films that we’ve made,” Feige added. “The cast looks different than any of the other casts that we’ve had. Both in front of and behind the camera, it’s almost entirely people of color, which I think is a special, important thing, and one of the reasons the film will be unique and as great as I think it’s going to be.”
Jordan plays the film’s villain, Erik Killmonger with T’Challa (Boseman) back in Wakanda following his father’s death and the events of Captain America: Civil War.
“Black Panther’s leadership has been threatened by two foes (Killmonger and Man-Ape) 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,” Nyong’o explained of the new film.