'Black Panther' News: Marvel's Superhero Film Gets Its Director; Will Set Up 'Infinity War,' Confirms Marvel CEO
Following various rumors about who will helm Marvel's "Black Panther," Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige has confirmed that "Creed" director Ryan Coogler is set to take the reins for the film.
29-year-old Coogler, whose first feature-length film was "Fruitvale Station" (2013), told VIBE in December, "I think when we have opportunities where you have people of color and minorities, filmmakers, producers, writers, directors making decisions on what stories to be made and actually going to work, then you prove that those works can have financial value."
Apart from announcing who will direct "Black Panther," Feige also revealed that the film will set up the next two Avengers films, "Avengers: Infinity War - Part I" (to be released in May 2018) and "Avengers: Infinity War - Part 2" (to be released in May 2019). In an interview for the February issue of Empire magazine, Feige said, "T'Challa's story is very important to us as it links to the next Avengers films, which is why we brought it forward."
Get Our Latest News for FREE
The Black Panther, whose real name is T'Challa, will be played by Chadwick Boseman. "Black Panther" will form part of Phase 3 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. According to Feige, the motion picture will explore T'Challa's life in Wakanda, his family, and his struggle with his father's royal legacy and his own royal duties.
Speaking about the importance of "Black Panther" to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the Marvel boss said, "Not only do you get an unbelievable lead character, but you also get all of [fictional African nation] Wakanda which is a whole new setting and culture to explore."
Though Feige was unclear on how T'Challa's storyline affects the rest of the Avengers, the superhero's home, Wakanda, could provide a whole new setting for future Avengers adventures and may even be, according to rumors, the hiding place of one of the Infinity Stones.
"Black Panther" was originally set for a November 2017 release before being rescheduled to July 6, 2018 and, again, to Feb. 16, 2018.
