Marvel’s Phase Two is about to kick off with next month’s Iron Man 3, which means the blueprint for Phase Three is likely being laid out as we speak. All we know for certain is that Edgar Wright’s Ant Man will arrive on November 6, 2015, but after that, there’s nothing but speculation.
A Doctor Strange movie has been discussed, including a rumour that Fede Alvarez may direct, and there’s always the possibility of another Iron Man, Captain America, or Thor sequel. Another popular pick though is Black Panther, which has been rumoured multiple times over the last few years. The newest rumour we have about the film is one saying Morris Chestnut may star as the titular character.
This rumour is an interesting one, considering it doesn’t just come from an unnamed source, but from Chestnut himself. The actor took to his Facebook and Twitter pages Monday to post, “It’s time to get familiar with the Black Panther character!” As fans and news sites began to repost the quote as an indication that Chestnut was taking on the role, he deleted both posts.
The question is, did he delete the posts because he wasn’t yet authorized to reveal that he has/is auditioning for the role, or was he simply trying to avoid any confusion? There’s always the chance that he simply wanted to do some comic book reading and Panther was his character of choice, but anytime we see a post like this from an actor, it’s going to be assumed that he’s revealing something. Sadly, all we have now is speculation based on Chestnut’s Tweet.
While Chestnut is a talented actor, I’d still rather see Djimon Hounsou as T’Challa, and he’s already voiced his desire to take on the role. Chestnut could be a quality pick, but Housou is almost ideal, so I’m still holding out hope that if this film happens, Marvel calls him first.
What do you think of Chestnut as Black Panther? Is he the right man for the role? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.