There had been rumors that Wesley Snipes was set to play Black Panther, and then he decided that he didn’t want to pay taxes anymore so there went that idea. It was also rumored that John Singleton was attached to direct the film but that has no legs anymore either, that is according to Adewale Agbaje who is currently set to star in the upcoming G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra film.
When Blackfilm.com sat down with the actor best known for his roles on ‘Oz’ and ‘Lost’, he had this to say about the John Singleton rumor:
Q: Is John Singleton still attached to direct the film?
Agbaje: I don't know at the moment. I don't believe so. All I know is that the rights have reverted back to Marvel and that it's now up for grabs and I'm doing the grabbing.
That’s right folks, Marvel has been aggressively reclaiming the film rights to their lineup of characters and Black Panther looks to be the latest reacquisition. He also answered to the rumors that he was set to play T’challa
The characters I've created have been iconic from Adebisi from 'Oz,' and Mr. Eko from 'Lost' and I've always had a passion to play a superhero, and now it appears to becoming real. We're in talks with Marvel to playing one of my favorite superheroes, which is obviously Black Panther. There is truth to that, the fact that we are talking. It would be a boyhood dream to have that materialized. I was at Comic Con this year and the timing for such a character to come to life couldn't be more appropriate. I would love to be the one to wear the suit and go out and represent.
We here at Crave can’t think of a better choice for Black Panther, Agbaje has considerable acting chops and fits the look and style of the King of Wakanda. Here’s what he had to say about the possible role of Black Panther:
It depends on how the film is packaged with the director that comes onboard. For me, I would infuse it with the same intense reality. Yes, it's a comic, but to able to make him relatable by the ordinary man as well as make him superhuman, I'd like to convey an element of him that is real and raw; the same rawness that you saw in Adebisi, Mr. Eko or Majestic from 'Get Rich or Die Tryin'.' I can make this guy real. He's a panther, which is based upon an animal, a proud animal. I would bring some elements from my culture, which is Nigeria. I'm from an area which is known for its regality. In fact, my name, Adewale, means the crown has come home, the crown is here. Together, with that rawness, and the regality because he is an African prince, I would love to bring out the cultural elements of my background to it.
To read the full interview from Blackfilm.com click here.
