Lupita Nyong’o Shares Details on Black Panther‘s Story
Images via Marvel, Alberto E. Rodriguez/GettyBlack Panther, played by Chadwick Boseman, debuted in this year’s Captain America: Civil War and will be Marvel’s first black superhero to headline a film when Black Panther releases in 2018. Lupita Nyong’o, co-star of the Black Panther film, as well as of Star Wars: Episode VII, gave us some of the very first plot details at San Diego Comic Con this past weekend.
“I play Nakia, who is a member of the Dora Milaje, which is a special forces group from Wakanda [Black Panther’s home country],” Nyong’o shared during Marvel’s live coverage. “The story is that the Black Panther’s leadership is being threatened by two foes that come together and so Black Panther gets the help of the CIA and the Dora Milaje to try and defeat the enemy,” she said.
“Oh dear, someone’s going to fire me shortly,” she jokingly said immediately after.
The Dora Milaje, as Nyong’o said, are an all-female special forces group that functions similarly to the Secret Service. We got a short look at one of the members in Civil War: she was the woman who told Black Widow, “Move or you will be moved,” when she tried to approach T’Challa (Black Panther). She’s pictured below on the left, played by Florence Kasumba.
There has been speculation that the CIA involvement Nyong’o mentions may mean the return of Martin Freeman’s character from Civil War, Everett Ross, who has a history with Black Panther in the comics.
As for the two foes Nyong’o mentioned, we already know one is Erik Killmonger, played by Michael B. Jordan. Jordan previously worked with Black Panther’s director Ryan Coogler on Creed and Fruitvale Station. The other foe is so-far unannounced, but it’s possible Andy Serkis’ character from Age of Ultron, the pirate smuggling vibranium out of Wakanda, could return.
You can watch Marvel’s full event coverage below. Nyong’o comes on to discuss Black Panther at 1:56:14.