Since news broke that Marvel Studios' 2014 Captain America sequel may be followed by a big-screen adaptation of The Black Panther, potential T'Challa contenders have been modestly campaigning for the King of Wakanda. Via Examiner, the latest is actor Aldis Hodge. When asked if he favored a comic book series, Hodge replied:
"Growing up I was a fan of Black Panther and X-Men comic books. I was also a huge Batman fan. There’s recently been a little buzz online about Marvel pushing for Black Panther, and I’ve been in love with the idea for years. I want the fans to know that the one role I really want to play is Black Panther. I grew up loving the Marvel world, and grew up on martial arts. I still train. When Black Panther came around, he was almost like an African American Batman."
Aldis Hodge, 25, is best known for his Alec Hardison role on the TNT Leverage TV series, which landed him a Saturn Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor in Television. He has also appeared in Supernatural among many shows. And he currently has two films, The East and Lives of the Saints, in production. What do you think?
Created by writer-editor Stan Lee & penciller-co-plotter Jack Kirby, “The Black Panther” (T'Challa) first appeared in “Fantastic Four #52,” and is the first black superhero in mainstream American comics. Back in January of 2011, Hollywood trades revealed that documentary writer Mark Bailey (“Ghosts of Abu Ghraib”) was hired to pen a live-action screenplay focused on the Wakandan king, for Marvel Studios. And recent claims indicate that “The Black Panther” adaptation could officiate Walt Disney Pictures' currently-untitled June 27, 2014 release date.