"Black Panther" is expected to send ripples in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) when it premieres next year. Not only is it the first Marvel film with a predominantly black cast, Lupita Nyong'o says it deviates from the roles superhero flicks often relegate to women as well.
More often than not, female characters in the MCU and even in the comics are involved in storylines focusing on rivalries and distrust of one another. Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) and Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), for example, went on this path in "Iron Man 2." Nyong'o says this will not be the case in "Black Panther."
Speaking to Teen Vogue, the actress, who plays Nakia in the movie, shared their upcoming film showcases the power of its female characters without the need of tearing each other down.
"Ryan made a point of avoiding the expected female-rival narrative," Nyong'o said. "In our story, there are so many different women holding their own space. Women may be in competition with each other, sure, but that doesn't necessarily mean there's an absence of love or respect."
As seen in the trailers, the film boasts a delightful amount of female characters. Apart from Nyong'o, "Black Panther" also stars Letitia Wright as T'Challa's (Chadwick Boseman) sister Shuri; Danai Gurira as the leader of Wakanda's security and intelligence outfit, Okoye; Angela Bassett as the Queen Mother of Wakanda, Ramonda; and various members of the Dora Milaje.
"You see them work together, and you see a dynamic that is really encouraging," Nyong'o continued.
Directed by Ryan Coogler, "Black Panther" will open in theaters on Feb. 16, 2018. The rest of the cast includes Martin Freeman as Everett K. Ross, Daniel Kaluuya as W'Kabi, Forest Whitaker as Zuri, Florence Kasumba as Ayo, John Kani as T'Chaka, Sterling K. Brown as N'Jobu, Michael B. Jordan as Erik Killmonger, Andy Serkis as Ulysses Klaue, and Winston Duke as M'Baku (Man-Ape).
