BLACK PANTHER Casting Call Teases Which Characters Might Be a Part of The Film

Casting calls aren't always super reliable when it comes to information that makes it all the way through a film's production to the final theatrical version. Scripts can change, characters can be cut, etc. But it's a slow morning, a new casting call for Marvel Studios' Black Panther is circulating online, and I'm really looking forward to that movie, so let's talk about it.

First off, let's recap what we know for sure about the film. Creed director Ryan Coogler is co-writing the script and directing, Chadwick Boseman will reprise the title role after the character made his live-action debut in Captain America: Civil War, Lupita Nyong'o and Michael B. Jordan are on board to co-star (John Boyega was rumored to be a part of the cast, but there's nothing concrete that indicates he's actually joining the movie...yet), and Coogler says it will be his most personal movie to date. All of that sounds great!

Now, let's take a look at some of the rumored characters that are being cast. Keep in mind that a lot of this may be either A) false information or B) true, but only for the time being. One thing that sort of sticks out as a potential red flag is that they say Andy Serkis' Ulysses Klaw is coming back, but they describe him as the man who betrayed and killed T'Challa's father, T'Chaka. I'm pretty sure Klaw wasn't in Civil War and didn't have anything to do with T'Chaka's death, so maybe they're just describing the character from the comics? The report also mentions that the character of Monica Lynne will be in the film, which we guessed would be the part Nyong'o would be playing, and Martin Freeman's Everett Ross would return, neither of which is a big surprise (assuming, of course, that it's true). On to the new stuff:

• N’GASSI – Adviser to T’Challa, acting regent when he goes away on missions.

• OKOYE – One of the former Dora Milaje, a ceremonial betrothed/bodyguard of T’Challa. Okoye is of the J’Kuwali tribe and acted as a traditional, proper concomitant to the king, speaking only to the king and only in Hausa, an African dialect not widely spoken in Wakanda and thus affording the king and his wives a measure of privacy.

• QUEEN DIVINE JUSTICE – The street-smart queen of the Jabari tribe of Wakanda raised in Chicago, and former Dora Milaje (ceremonial betrothed/bodyguard) of T’Challa. She originally went by the name Chanté Giovanni Brown.

• W’KABI – T’Challa’s competent second-in-command, completely loyal to his liege.

• ZURI – A grumpy and gigantic elderly warrior. A close friend of the late T’Chaka, and one of T’Challa’s most trusted advisers.

• REVEREND ACHEBE – A poor farmer somewhere in South Africa, Achebe sold his soul to the demon Mephisto. He is portrayed as a grinning, unpredictable, lunatic, warrior-mystic, regularly talking to his hand-puppet Daki with delusions that it’s truly alive, and engineering complex plots of social unrest for profit or entertainment.

• ERIK KILLMONGER – A powerful warrior and strategic genius in politics and economics.

• MALICE – Wakandan Mutate with superhuman strength, speed, and agility. She is a former Dora Milaje (ceremonial betrothed/bodyguard) of T’Challa.

• MAN-APE – Ruler of the Jabari Tribe, a recognized micronation within Wakanda’s borders. M’Baku was Wakanda’s greatest warrior second only to the Black Panther. He plotted to usurp the throne with the help of the outlawed White Gorilla cult who were ancient rivals of the Black Panther cult, which basically made them heretics since Panther worship is the state religion. Founding member of the “Pan African Congress on the Treatment of Superhumans”.

• WHITE WOLF – T’Challa’s adopted elder brother and the former leader of the Hatut Zeraze, the espionage elite police of Wakanda. Exiled by T’Challa, due to using torture and assassinations in his zeal to root out potential threats to national security.

When someone's last name is "Killmonger," you've gotta wonder how much destiny comes into play when he ends up being a bad guy. These character names will mean a lot more to those of you who have read the comics, and since I admittedly have not, I'll leave all of the hardcore analyzing/dissecting to you in the comments below. Have at it!

Black Panther hits theaters on February 16, 2018.