10 Marvel Characters You Must Know Before You Watch Black Panther
MCU is all set to explore the depths of jungles of the African continent. A tiny, but, extremely wealthy and technologically most advanced African country of Wakanda is the home to the upcoming film Black Panther. The trailer showcases top quality special effects and combat sequences, and the cast is also quite impressive. Let’s give you a briefing about the movie’s main cast members and what kind of characters they will portray in Black Panther.
10. Chadwick Boseman – T’Challa
Black Panther is the Wakandan King. He is the latest inheritor of the mantle which his predecessors have held on to for several centuries. T’Challa takes over as Black Panther after his father is murdered, and he consumes heart-shaped medicine to attain superhuman physical traits. Equipped with an invincible Vibranium suit and claws which can rip through any surface, T’Challa debuted in Captain America: Civil War. Chadwick Boseman is also famous for his earlier roles as James Brown on Get On Up and Jackie Robinson in 42.
9. Danai Gurira – Okoye
Danai Gurira is one of the Dora Milaje, an elite force of supremely trained women bodyguards of the King of Wakanda. They are also the prospective wives of the nation. Her character has not been explored in detail in MCU, but, she does play a vital role as T’Challa’s bodyguard in the comic books. Fans can recognize her due to her performance as Michonne from The Walking Dead on AMC. It is quite obvious, therefore, that she has good prowess with weapons.
8. Michael B. Jordan – Erik Killmonger
The top enemy of Wakanda in the comic books is Erik Killmonger or N’Jadaka. As the lead villain, Erik has a grudge against Black Panther for forcing him into exile from Wakanda and Ulysses Klaue, the man who lured N’Jadaka’s father on the evil side, and is responsible for his crime-filled existence. Ulysses works alongside Erik to destroy Wakanda in an unholy alliance. Michael B. Jordan has been earlier seen as Wallace in The Wire and the son of Apollo Creed in the Rocky spinoff movie Creed.
7. Lupita Nyong’o – Nakia
Nakia’s story is highly complex. She is an ex-Dora Milaje who earlier had faith in the Wakandan policy of staying isolated and monitored its people closely. However, after she fell crazily in love with T’Challa, and suffering numerous illusions about Murder, T’Challa banished her from Wakanda. Later she joined hands with Killmonger and renamed herself as Malice. Lupita is renowned for her performance in 12 years as a slave and for the voice of Maz Kanata in the Star Wars sequel trilogy.
6. Forest Whitaker – Zuri
Zuri is an old shaman linked to the ancient Wakandan heritage. He has been a faithful advisor to T’Challa as well as his father T’Chaka, the previous Black Panther and King of Wakanda. Zuri is a veteran of many wars and oversees the heart-shaped drug that provides Black Panther with his superhuman sensory and physical powers. Forest Whitaker is renowned in Hollywood and has been a part of famous films such as Good Morning Vietnam, Vantage Point, Panic Room and The Last King of Scotland.
5. Angela Bassett – Ramonda
Black Panther’s stepmother Ramonda has suffered a great deal. After the death of T’Challa’s mother, Ramonda was married to T’Chaka. That’s when Anton Pretorius, an evil South African racist abducted her and made everyone believe that she disappeared with a mysterious lover. She was eventually rescued by T’Challa and brought back to Wakanda. Later comic books show her severely injured due to an IED explosion caused by terrorists.Thus, she had a really tough history. Angela Bassett has been a part of some famous Hollywood films such as How Stella Got Her Groove Back and Malcolm X.
4. Florence Kasumba – Ayo
Ayo had a short appearance in the Marvel Cinematic Universe during Captain America: Civil War where she verbally confronted Natalia Romanoff aka Black Widow. The head of Dora Milaje, Ayo is solely focused on ensuring the safety of Wakanda’s King. We are keen to see how ruthless she can be in Black Panther. Kasumba has earlier played a part in Wonder Woman and the Syfy supernatural show Dominion which got canceled.
3. Letitia Wright – Shuri
The comic books show Shuri to be T’Challa’s step-sister. She is an ideal merger of Tony Stark and T’Challa. She is extremely intelligent and tech-savvy, with a love for mastering the art of combat. Shuri has carried out the responsibilities of Black Panther in T’Challa’s absence. The comic books show how Shuri loves to use vibranium claws, just like her brother, but, now the claws have made way for panther-shaped energy blasters. Letitia Wright has played a part in various award-winning films such as Urban Hymn and has also been a part of TV shows like Humans.
2. Martin Freeman – Everett Ross
Captain America: Civil War was Ross’s MCU debut. He vehemently supported Sokovia Accords and desires the Avengers to be restricted by a UN-monitored system. At the time of the terrorist attack, Ross joins Captain America’s defiant group. He was last seen in the Black Panther trailer interrogating Ulysses Klaue while distressed T’Challa and O’koye monitor the happenings via a one-way glass. Freeman’s Hollywood appearances have been as Dr. Watson in BBC show Sherlock and as Bilbo Baggins in The Hobbit trilogy.
1. Andy Serkis – Klaue
Ulysses Klaue is the regular Marvel Cinematic Universe arms dealer. The crazy guy is the newest name on the list of Marvel’s villains. He debuted in Age of Ultron, and his character adds a rogue feel to the film. Marvel has been eternally subjected to less deep and friendlier villains, and time has come for Ulysses Klaue to break that stereotype. Fans are going to recall Klaue as the iconic Marvel villain Klaw – a bad guy who uses a sonic disruptor in battles and is almost a being made of sound. Andy Serkis has voiced several famous characters such as Gollum in The Hobbit trilogy, Supreme Leader Snoke in recent Star Wars sequels and most famously as the monkey messiah Caesar in the Planet of the Apes franchise.
