Marvel’s ‘Black Panther’ Closes In On A Screenwriter
The second half of Marvel’s Phase Three is starting to come into clearer focus.Black Pantheris reportedly closing in onJoe Robert Coleto write the script, withChadwick Bosemanalready on board to star as the Wakandan superhero. Learn more about theBlack Pantherwriter after the jump.
TheWrapgot the scoop on theBlack Pantherwriter. Marvel is making a conscious effort to hire filmmakers of color for the 2018 release, which will be the MCU’s first film with a non-white lead, and Cole fits the bill. (Though before we get toBlack Panther, the studio could break their all-white-male director streak withTaika Waititi on 2017’sThor: Ragnarok.)
Cole comes from Marvel’s in-house screenwriting program, likeGuardians of the Galaxy’s Nicole Perlman did. Rumor has it he took a crack at Marvel’sInhumans, but he is no longer involved with that project and the 2019 movie is not expected to use his script. Outside of the MCU, Cole wrote and directed the 2011 thrillerAmber Lake.
In contrast toearlier reportsthat Marvel wantedF. Gary Grayto helmBlack Panther,TheWrapemphasizes that Marvel doesn’t plan to pick a director until it has a script, and that no one is in serious consideration at this time. The studio did approachAva DuVernaya while back, but she turned them down because,as she put it, “it wouldn’t have really been an Ava DuVernay film.”
That’s probably good news forFurious 8, as Gray likely would’ve had to pick between the two tentpoles. Gray has just entered talks for the Universal sequel, which is on track to open in spring 2017.
Boseman will make his debut as T’Challa a.k.a. Black Panther in next year’sCaptain America: Civil War.Andy Serkis, who plays traditional Black Panther villain Ulysses Klaue, first appeared inAvengers: Age of Ultron. He’s expected, but not yet confirmed, to return forBlack Panther.
