Lupita Nyong'o and Michael B. Jordan Join Chadwick Boseman in Marvel's 'Black Panther'
We would say this casting news makes us a bajillion times more excited to see Black Panther, but we're not sure that is actually possible, seeing as how insanely excited we already were.
Lupita Nyong'o and Michael B. Jordan will both reportedly join Chadwick Boseman in Marvel's upcoming superhero saga, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Details on their roles are sparse, except that they may play a "love interest" and "villain," respectively.
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We're hoping the "love interest" part of Nyong'o's casting news is misinformation and she is actually in talks to play Shuri, T'Challa's younger sister who goes on to adopt the Black Panther title in the comics. She would be SO BADASS in the role.
As for as actual romantic interests are concerned, T'Challa has been linked to Storm from the X-Men -- though, unless a miraculous Spider-Man type deal goes down in the very near future, that ain't gonna happen -- and Monica Lynne, a singer who moves to T'Challa's home country of Wakanda for him.
She could also potentially play one of the Dora Milaje, the squad of female soldiers that guard T'Challa. You saw one of them in Captain America: Civil War -- the woman who told Black Widow to move or she would be moved.
Fun fact: Nyong'o actually went to Yale at the same time as another Marvel star: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Brett Dalton. We happened to chat with Dalton on Friday and asked what advice he'd give his fellow Ivy Leaguer on joining the MCU.
"I think I should be asking her for words of advice, she's the one with an Oscar," Dalton said. "And now a Tony nomination! I guess all that I would say is, 'Come on in. The water's fine.' That, or like, 'Welcome to the real party.'"
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As far as Jordan is concerned, he could be playing Erik Killmonger, a native Wakandan who was exiled because of his father's connection to the villainous Ulysses Klaue -- already introduced to the MCU by Andy Serkis in Avengers: Age of Ultron -- and eventually returned to seek revenge.
Fun fact: Ryan Coogler, who is directing and co-writing Black Panther, has cast Jordan in every film he's made so far, including 2013's Fruitvale Station and last year's hit, Creed.
Bonus fun fact: Jordan's casting officially means that both actors who have played Johnny Storm, aka the Human Torch, are now in the MCU, seeing as Chris Evans (Captain America) starred in two Fantastic Four movies while Jordan played the thankless part in last year's failed reboot.
Black Panther is set to hit theaters on Feb. 2, 2018 -- but maybe if we beg and plead, Marvel will give it to us earlier? Build on the hype, bros!
ET recently caught up with the Civil War directors, who discussed pushing Cap to a vulnerable place that would surprise people. Find out what they said in the video below.