It's not a live-action film, but sometimes those are overrated anyway.BET's animated "Black Panther" series planned to debut early 2009 has reportedly cast Academy Award nominated actor Djimon Hounsou to voice the main character T'Challa, also known as the Black Panther.
A fine move for BET to cast a high-profile actor into another one of their animation projects. (The other would be Vin Diesel, who is the producer and voice talent in an animated series based on the Carthaginian general Hannibal.)
The successful relaunch of the character a couple years back in a regular comic series started with a limited story arc that reintroduced Black Panther to the Marvel Universe and to fans who may have forgotten about him. The animated series will mirror that comic arc written by former BET entertainment president and filmmaker Reginald Hudlin and drawn by prolific comic artist John Romita Jr.
If you look at the series trailer embedded below you will notice the animation itself has been created from the actual comic book panels of Romita's art. It is a process growing in popularity with comic creators who want to cut the animation production time and still preserve the feel of a comic.
The Black Panther, like Batman, is seldom outwitted or beaten by his opponents. And while T'Challa lacks obvious super powers, he makes up for it with his unlimited resources, intelligence and courage.
I hope it leads to a big reception for this Marvel Comics character created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in the 1960s. To this day the Black Panther is at the top of the A-list of black superheroes. One news story suggested "it was about time" Panther had his day in the sun.
I say Amen to that.
Leave a comment