Posted on

Black Panther Is Revealed in New Set Photo from ‘Captain America: Civil War’

Earlier this week, set photos leaked from the 2016 Marvel film, Captain America: Civil War revealed Black Panther in costume. The character has been in the press all year primarily because of the prospect of Ava DuVernay directing his solo film. Du Vernay turned down the job a month back.

Currently, the next Captain America film is shooting in Berlin, Germany. From previously released set photos, Wakanda will be a major setting in the film where Captain America, the Falcon, and Black Widow will be at large. These newly released photos confirms that Black Panther may be in the center of the action.

12-black-panther-4.w529.h352.2x

Black Panther is seen here on a harness preparing for a stunt scene.

On the set of Captain America, Chadwick Boseman plays the Black Panther Featuring: Chadwick Boseman, Sebastian Stan Where: Berlin, Germany When: 12 Aug 2015

This may be part of a battle scene that requires Black Panther to scale a wall.

On the set of Captain America, Chadwick Boseman plays the Black Panther Featuring: Chadwick Boseman, Sebastian Stan Where: Berlin, Germany When: 12 Aug 2015

This could be a stunt double or Chadwick Boseman in costume.

Captain America: Civil War is slated for release on May 6, 2016.

Posted on

Ava DuVernay Explains Why She Passed on Marvel’s ‘Black Panther’ Flick

During the 2015 Blogher Conference held in New York from July 16-18, filmmaker Ava DuVernay talked the ins and outs of the film industry. The director also dished on why she passed up Black Panther.  

“For me, it was a process of trying to figure out, are these people I want to go to bed with? Because it’s really a marriage. It’d be three years of not doing other things that are important to me,” she explained. “So it was a question of, is this important enough for me to do?”

In Blerds‘ continuing coverage of DuVernay’s journey into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, there had been news about the director possibly directing the Black Panther film since the last week of June. The blogosphere went bonkers with anticipation and some websites were reporting that she took the job.

However, in the first week of July it was revealed in an interview with the Huffington Post that DuVernay turned down the job over creative differences.

“This is my art,” DuVernay told the crowd of bloggers. “This is what will live on after I’m gone. So it’s important to me [to] be true to who I was in this moment. And if there’s too much compromise, it really wasn’t going to be an Ava DuVernay film.”

 

Posted on

Ava DuVernay Won’t Be Directing Black Panther Film

Two weeks ago, the Internet went on high alert with misleading news of Ava DuVernay’s apparent job offer to direct Marvel’s Black Panther flick.

However, that was not the case. DuVernay nor Marvel’s Kevin Feige confirmed the hire. “There are a lot of fans hoping that she will get the job, but at this time, there is only known information about meetings with multiple directors, not just DuVernay, ” a Blerds report said.

“It wasn’t for me. I loved exploring it. I loved the character. I love that they called me about it, but ultimately, when I delved into it, it wasn’t a good match, so I wish them luck.” DuVernay told The Huffington Post last week at the Essence Music Festival.

Marvel’s reputation for not giving auteurs the creative breathing room necessary to work continues to grow. Director Edgar Wright was a prime example. He left the upcoming Ant-Man film, a film he  pitched and wanted to work on at Marvel but left due to creative differences, opening the door for director Peyton Reed.

Joss Whedon has also reported that Avengers: Age of Ultron is his last Marvel film.

However, the Marvel machine keeps on trucking and so does DuVernay. She has two projects in the early stages of development that should appease her fans. A scripted drama for the OWN network and a Hurricane Katrina love story starring David Oyelowo are all slated for future release.

Posted on

Marvel Studio President Confirms Meeting With Ava DuVernay to Talk ‘Black Panther’ Film

All of this week there has been news that Ava DuVernay has been chosen to direct the Black Panther feature film. In fact, she has been meeting with Kevin Feige, the president of Marvel Studios, about the job, but no one has confirmed it. DuVernay has yet to confirm nor has Feige or any other official Marvel representative.

“The DuVernay choice could be great news for the future of the Marvel franchise not only because of the more diverse perspective she could bring to the table (she’d be the first non-white, non-male director to see a Marvel film to its completion), but also because in hiring someone with such strong vision, Marvel could combat accusations that its lucrative franchise is a creatively stifling place for directors,” according to writer Joanna Robinson for Vanity Fair.

Ava_DuVernay

There are a lot of fans hoping that she will get the job, but at this time, there is only known information about meetings with multiple directors, not just DuVernay.

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Feige was asked if Marvel has chosen a director for the upcoming Black Panther and Captain Marvel films, and he says:

“I think by the end of the summer, we’ll have most of those things. Black Panther especially.”

There is still a great amount of speculation and anticipation on who will get to direct the Black Panther film, but until it comes directly from Feige, we will not know for sure.

Posted on

Theories Abound About Black Panther’s Introduction to Big-Screen Universe

When news about Black Panther joining the Marvel cinematic universe hit the Web earlier this year, there were many different theories on how he would be introduced prior to his own solo film.

In the recent Avengers: Age of Ultron, director Joss Whedon and company dropped hints about Black Panther’s homeland, Wakanda. There were hints about one of his major villains, Ulysses Klaw, and about Vibranium, which is a common resource to Wakanda. crossbones-contre-captain-america-et-falcon

According to Sean Erickson of Movie Pilot, “some of the more interesting photos from the set of Captain America 3 have been of a big fight between Cap, Falcon and Crossbones taking place in what is almost certainly Black Panther’s home turf of Wakanda.”

crossbones-contre-captain-america-et-falcon (1)

Captain-America-3-150515-13

In the past two days, there have been leaked photos of the set and villains. These photos can lead one to think that the Winter Soldier may be in Wakanda on assignment. Maybe he is en route to assassinate the ruler or rulers. From this information, Black Panther could team up with Captain America and the Falcon to take down the common menace.

There was an earlier theory that Iron Man and Captain America would have tried to persuade Black Panther to join their respective causes, but that may not be the case because Spider-Man is rumored to be in the film as well.

Posted on

10 Black Directors Who Should Take On Marvel’s Upcoming Black Panther Movie

ava-duvernay

Ava DuVernay

DuVernay is obviously one of the first directors to come to mind, and it’s not just because of her recent sweep of award season nominations. DuVernay’s Selma proved that she has the ability to navigate the complexities of the ever-present humanity that still lies behind a great hero, and that’s going to be key when it comes to Marvel’s Black Panther film. “Selma showed her ability to deconstruct the myth of a heroic figure like Martin Luther King and reveal his humanity,” The Mary Sue wrote of the director. “And not only does she reveal the man behind the legend, she shows how much the man who helped shape a movement could leave such a powerful legacy that would be elevated to mythical status. The tension between the man and the mythos is at the heart of most successful superhero stories, and is particularly crucial for the Black Panther, who is not simply a costumed crusader but a leader of a nation.”

Ryan Coogler

Ryan Coogler

Coogler has actually emerged as a crowd favorite on many online forums and in some social media circles. Coogler is the man responsible for capturing the emotionally charged, politically compelling social commentary that was present throughout Fruitvale Station. The film captured the tragic and heartbreaking story of Oscar Grant, the unarmed Black father who was fatally shot by a BART police officer in Oakland, California. “Coogler’s exploration of police violence avoids being simply a preachy drama focusing on a tragic moment in recent history,” The Mary Sue explains. “Instead, it is a deeply moving character study whose protagonist is far more than just a tragic victim, depicted as a deeply sympathetic and fallible human being who is instantly relatable.” That ability to leave the “preachy” approach behind while still pulling key social commentary and controversial discussions to light is exactly what Black Panther’s director would need to possess.

Pages: 1 2 3 4 5
Posted on

Black Panther May Replace Spider-Man in ‘Captain America: Civil War’

What major role will Black Panther play in “Captain America: Civil War”? Let’s break down the reasons why we believe the African hero will be a major part of the third installment of the franchise.

First, let’s review what “Civil War” will be about. The short version: “Civil War” was a major crossover event in the Marvel comics, where the U.S. government passed a law requiring all superheroes to be registered. The superhero community was split between two factions — those who opposed the law, led by Captain America, and those who supported it, led by Iron Man. In the original story, Spider-Man played a major role as a hero who initially supported the law with Iron Man, and later changed sides with Captain America.

Since Marvel Studios doesn’t own the rights to Spider-Man, this changes the direction of the story. Leaked emails showed Sony Pictures (which owns Spider-Man movie rights) tried to negotiate with Marvel to produce Spider-Man movies. No doubt, this would have allowed Marvel to include Spider-Man in “Civil War,” but the deal apparently fell through. Without Spider-Man, it seems like Black Panther will be replacing Spider-Man in this pivotal role.

When they announced Chadwick Boseman as Black Panther, actors Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans acted out a little skit where they asked Boseman to pick a side, and Downey said, “You don’t have to decide today.” We think that was a hint that he’ll be deciding in “Civil War.”

Black Panther has always been independent in the comics, more concerned about his native country Wakanda than the affairs of the world at large. That would make him a perfect role in “Civil War” as the outsider, forced to pick sides, like Spider-Man. Not only would this give the story a suitable replacement for Web-head, but it would also give Black Panther a strong role to build off of for his solo movie.

What do you think? Should Black Panther replace Spider-Man in “Civil War”?

Source: The Geek Twins

Posted on

Graphic Novel ‘Legend of the Mantamaji’ Pushes Ahead With Second Book

With the release of Book Two of the “Legend of the Mantamaji” graphic novel series, television director Eric Dean Seaton continues to appeal to superhero fans of all ages with multicultural characters and a thrilling plot full of action and fun. “Legend of the Mantamaji: Book Two” is available for pre-order ahead of its Dec. 11 release, just in time for the holidays.

Superhero and comic book culture shows no sign of slowing down, and with the announcement of more diverse characters on screen, parents of kids and teens who love superheroes are quietly hopeful the trend continues. The wait for a Black lead in a franchise film will be three years, leaving parents still looking for quality media with heroes of color. Enter “Legend of the Mantamaji,” a three-book graphic novel series by Eric Dean Seaton, top director of hit shows like TBS’s Ground Floor, NBC’s Undateable, Disney Channel’s Austin & Ally and Nickelodeon’s Ricky, Nicky, Dicky and Dawn.

Launched Oct. 8 and available on all platforms, the series features African-American male and female leads; a multicultural cast and strong storytelling from Seaton. Book One begins with hotshot Assistant District Attorney Elijah Alexander at the top of his career and the height of his selfishness. Little does he know his career success is directly connected to a secret that will put it in jeopardy. When a mysterious stranger appears, Elijah learns something incredibly shocking – he is not even human. Suddenly he has superpowers and is thrown into a world of magic, mystery and legendary evil.

“I’m just like the rest of the comic-loving world – I’m excited for the upcoming Black Panther movie,” Seaton said. “I’m a huge Black Panther fan, the comic was part of what inspired me growing up as a kid in Cleveland, Ohio. I always knew I wanted to create a comic book with a big back story and I wanted to create a superhero that looked like me. People of color have been an afterthought in superhero and sci-fi/fantasy stories. I also wanted to create a story that appealed to a wide range of comic book and graphic novel fans – that is why the book has no swearing and the story is layered and nuanced for adult comic and graphic novel lovers.”

“Legend of The Mantamaji,” a 2014 San Diego Comic-Con exclusive, is perfect for comic and graphic novel enthusiasts, ages 9 and up.

Read more from Eric Dean Seaton at legendofthemantamaji.com