Summer 2010 is shaping up to be one for the ages. Traditionally the most important time of the year for Hollywood, movie buffs and comic book aficionados are finding themselves impatiently waiting on the silver screen gifts that have been promised to them by movie studios. Marvel, the premier name in graphic novels, is looking to make good on their end of the bargain by promising a groundbreaking superhero flick based on little known but celebrated and revered hero, “The Black Panther.”
Set to be directed by John Singleton, a man known more for his gritty urban semi-biopics than exploring the intricacies of modern folklore and action tales, the sure fire action flick will offer movie goers an opportunity to see a hero that had been a major part of Marvel’s comic universe but a minor player in the collective psyche of the mainstream. To say that expectations are high would be a gross understatement; even so, one man feels that he has what it takes to meet and exceed all benchmarks set for the film. That man is none other than for Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje.
Better know to the masses as the infamous Simon Adebisi of “Oz” lore, Akinnuoye-Agbaje seeks to bring one of Marvel’s most realistic characters to life by playing “T’Challa,” the man behind the Panther’s mask. Created by the legendary Stan Lee, “The Black Panther” ventured to New York City from the fictional nation of Wakanda, which is well over 1,000 miles from San Diego, the city that most recently played host the national comic book convention know as Comic-Con.
Speaking to press, the versatile actor spoke of excitement about the role. “He’s from a fictional village in Africa and the timing is so right for that kind of character to come through,” he told. “And while I’m in my prime, this is the time. We’ve got Obama, now we need something on screen to represent, so… ‘Panther,’ man.”
Before capturing a spot in what is sure to be next Summer’s biggest hit, Adewale can be seen in one of this Summer’s most anticipated big screen offerings. Stepehn Sommer’s “G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra” is sure to portray the veteran actor in a light that he has yet to be shown, a testosterone laden butt-kicker. Set to play Joe favorite “Heavy Duty” in the 2009 blockbuster, Akinnuoye-Agbaje is poised to change the game by challenging the long running stigma that is associated with Black superheroes, one movie role at a time.
