‘Black Panther’ Cast, Plot and Release Date: Lupita Nyong’o In Talks to Star in Upcoming Marvel Film, Who will She Play?

By Carlo Monzon
Lupita Nyong'o
Actresses Lupita Nyong'o (L), Margot Robbie (C), and Emma Watson arrive at the Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute Gala (Met Gala) to celebrate the opening of "Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology" in the Manhattan borough of New York, May 2, 2016.  REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz

The recent "Captain America: Civil War" served as the main vehicle for the big-screen introduction of Black Panther, who is also set to appear in his own movie in 2018. With the film currently in the works, there are already reports as to who will star alongside Chardwick Boseman, who plays the titular character for the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Recently, The Hollywood Reporter confirmed that Lupita Nyong'o from "12 Years a Slave" and "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" is currently in talks to join the film. Although the identity of her character is not yet clear, it's probably safe to say that she will portray a big-deal role giver her status as an actress.

In fact, according to the entertainment news site, she will play the love interest of Boseman's character in the upcoming movie. With this key detail, Nyong'o's role can now be narrowed down to a couple of characters.

One of these is Monica Lynne, who is probably the most prominent love interest of the Black Panther, also known as T'Challa. In the comic book universe, Lynne is a professional singer in the U.S. She met the Marvel superhero after he rescued her from a racist organization known as the Sons of the Serpent.

Another possible role for Nyong'o is a character that's a member of the Black Panther's Dora Milaje, also known as the adored ones. In the comic books, this is a group of elite female soldiers that's responsible for the protection of the king of Wakanda.

This group made a very brief appearance in "Captain America: Civil War." In that scene, Black Widow, played by Scarlett Johannsen tried to approach T'Challa but was blocked by an imposing female bodyguard played by Florence Kasumba, an Ugandan actress in Germany, Vanity Fair reported.

But aside from being fierce warriors, the Dora Milaje is also a ceremonial training group for the Black Panther's wives-to-be.

Another comic book-based love-interest of the superhero is Storm from the X-Men. Although she is probably the most high-profile one, there's a very small chance that Nyong'o will be playing Storm in the "Black Panther" movie due to the ownership of the character's film rights.

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