Martin Freeman and Andy Serkis have joined the cast of Marvel’s ‘Black Panther’.
The 45-year-old actor will reprise his role as Everett K. Ross from ‘Captain America: Civil War’ and Serkis, 52, is to return as ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’s Ulysses Klaue.
The next movie in the blockbuster franchise is to be shot in several locations including Atlanta, Georgia and South Korea, Marvel has confirmed.
Freeman and Serkis’ casting follows the addition of Angela Bassett.
It was confirmed in November that the ‘American Horror Story’ star will portray Ramonda, the mother of the titular character, aka T’Challa, in the forthcoming film.
A statement on the studio’s website read: "Academy Award-nominated actress Angela Bassett has joined the cast of Marvel Studios’ ‘Black Panther’.
"Bassett, who currently stars in "American Horror Story," will play Ramonda, mother of T’Challa, aka Black Panther. (sic)"
Chadwick Boseman has already signed up to portray the main character and Lupita Nyong’o will star as Nakia, a potential wife for Black Panther’s alter ego T’Challa, who also pops up in the comics as a villain named Malice.
Michael B. Jordan will play Erik Killmonger, an expert fighter and nemesis of Black Panther, in the film, which is being directed by his ‘Creed’ and ‘Fruitvale Station’ helmer Ryan Coogler.
The motion picture is expected to expand on the storyline that was first introduced in ‘Captain America: Civil War’ of how T’Challa becomes the Black Panther.
T’Challa’s father T’Chaka is king of the African nation Wakanda and has the ceremonial title Black Panther as the chief of the Panther Tribe, but is killed when a bomb goes off at the UN making his son the Black Panther.
Other actors in the movie include Forest Whitaker, who will take on the role of Zuri, an elder statesman in Wakanda, and ‘The Walking Dead’ star Danai Gurira, who is to portray Okoye, the head of the Dora Milaje, the Black Panther’s personal bodyguards.
The movie is slated for release in February 2018.
Martin Freeman and Andy Serkis join Black Panther
