Here’s a fun rumor that probably isn’t worth the cocktail napkin it was first written on, but let’s put it out there anyway. Just in case. Tabloid site Metro.uk says Black Panther director Ryan Coogler has his sights set on Donald Glover to play the sequel’s villain. It also suggests Michael B. Jordan is due to return as previous villain, Erik Killmonger. That seems more reasonable, especially if you know Killmonger’s story in the comics. He’s quite resilient.
Anyway, let’s take this with the amount of salt it demands. Glover is killin’ it right now and is the toast of Hollywood, not only for his “This is America” video but for his role as Lando Calrissian in Solo: A Star Wars Story. His performance was a highlight in the Star Wars spinoff and has started conversations about a potential spinoff. He’s also star of the acclaimed series Atlanta and has a role in Jon Favreau’s live-action The Lion King. In short, everybody wants a piece of Glover right now.
That said, Glover does have a connection to the original Black Panther movie. He and his brother Stephen were given a shout out in the credits thanks to their help in punching up some of the screenplay’s jokes. Maybe Coogler is looking to expand on that brief partnership?
It’s unlikely, though. Black Panther 2 is only in the earliest stages, and considering T’Challa’s fate in Avengers: Infinity War, and Marvel’s secrecy about it, this kind of news would NEVER get out right now. Plus, Glover has already appeared in the MCU, albeit in a minor role as Aaron Davis (aka Prowler) in Spider-Man: Homecoming. Marvel could always say “Hey, that was Sony not us”, but nope, that wouldn’t work. Then again, I’m sure Marvel would ignore this if it meant getting Glover on board in a more prominent role.
Or maybe Black Panther 2‘s villain IS the Prowler? Eh, doubtful.
