'Black Panther' release date, cast, news: Marvel Studios announces Angela Bassett to play the hero's mother
This week Marvel Studios announced Academy Award-nominated Angela Bassett as one of the newest addition to the "Black Panther" cast and will play as Ramonda, the mother of T'Challa a.k.a. Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman).
Bassett is known for her amazing portrayal of the music legend Tina Turner in a biographical film to which she got an Academy Award nomination and won a Golden Globe Award for. She is also known for her part in "American Horror Story" as Monet Tumusiime characterized as an alcoholic actress.
In October 2014, Marvel Studios announced that Black Panther will get a standalone film as part of their phase three movie lineup. Phase three includes the recently released "Doctor Strange" and a good list of Marvel films with schedules of release that stretch up to 2019.
In the comics, T'Challa is the king and protector of the fictional country Wakanda. He lost his father from an assassination. Black Panther mistakenly accused Winter Soldier as the one responsible for his father's death. He became focused on killing the supposed perpetrator and was caught in the Avengers' split. Subsequently, he joined Iron Man's team.
According to Collider, there are speculations that the film adaptation will focus on Black Panther's role as leader and protector of Wakanda that will be threatened when two of his adversaries join forces to destroy him. This event will force the main protagonist to seek for Central Intelligence Agency's (CIA) assistance.
As also mentioned in the Marvel Studios' announcement, Boseman and Bassett is also joined by Michael B. Jordan and Winston Duke who will play Black Panther's adversaries Erik Killmonger and M'Baku, respectively.
Forest Whitaker is also in the cast and will play as the Wakandan elder statesman Zuri, Lupita Nyong'o will play as Nakia, one of T'Challa's personal guards called Dora Milaje. Danai Gurira will act as Dora Milaje leader, Okoye. Daniel Kaluuya will play as T'Challa's confidante, W'Kabi, and Florence Kasumba will play the role of T'Challa's security chief named Ayo.
"Black Panther" is slated to be released on Feb. 16, 2018.