When Marvel announced that it was bringing Black Panther into the MCU, fans everywhere were ready to see how the MCU would handle the character. With such a rich history in the comics, the character of Black Panther needed to find a perfect balance between being a ruler and being the protector of Wakanda. Chadwick Boseman wound up landing the role, and the character made his debut in the film Captain America: Civil War.
Once Black Panther hit theaters and made $1 billion, it was clear that Black Panther was going to be around for a long time. Boseman may have the role now, but there were other men that were considered for the role before he was. In fact, some people have their opinions on who they would like to see rule over Wakanda, as well.
Today, we are going to look at people who were almost Black Panther, and a few we would like to see in the role.
15 We'd Cast: Lakeith Stanfield Is One Of The Best Actors In The World
Lakeith Stanfield is one of the best actors in Hollywood. Period. The man can legit do it all, and his unbelievable range would make him a perfect fit for the role. After starring in films like Get Out and the hit Knives Out, we hope that he gets into the MCU at some point.
14 Wanted It: Morris Chestnut Was Nearly Cast As Black Panther
Morris Chestnut is an actor that has been in the game for years now, and he has had his fair share of success on the big screen. Early on, Chestnut was in consideration for the role of Black Panther, and he even made some since-deleted tweets getting people hyped for his role.
13 We'd Cast: Mahershala Ali Could Have Been A Smooth Black Panther
Mahershala Ali is a tremendous performer that has already been in the MCU and will be entering the fold again. Allow us to explain. He was the primary antagonist on Luke Cage, and he will be playing Blade in a future MCU film. Nevertheless, this man would have been an incredible Black Panther.
12 We'd Cast: Boris Kodjoe Is An Underrated Black Panther Pick
Boris Kodjoe may not have the same type of name-value when compared to some of the other actors on this list, but the man can get the job done. He has taken part in the Resident Evil franchise and has done a ton of television work. He would have had an interesting take on Black Panther.
11 Wanted It: Michael Jai White Would Have Brought Real Martial Arts Experience To The Role
Michael Jai White is a performer that has been in the game for years, and his martial arts background could have come in handy here. He has played in a comic book movie before when he was cast as the lead in Spawn. Seeing him as Black Panther would have been a treat.
10 We'd Cast: Sterling Brown Should Have Had A Larger Role In Black Panther
Sterling Brown has been making waves over the last few years and rightfully so. The man is immensely talented, and he was even in the film Black Panther. However, instead of playing a minor role, we feel that he would have done a great job as the lead in the movie.
9 We'd Cast: Mekhi Phifer Could Have Brought Some Grittines To The Role
Mekhi Phifer has been in the game for years now, and his years of experience would have been tremendous to see in the film. Phifer has taken part in tons of hit projects over the years, and we feel that he could have done something with Black Panther that few would have expected.
8 Wanted It: Chiwetel Ejiofor Was Considered For Black Panther Before Becoming Mordo
Chiwetel Ejiofor is an underrated performer that is truly capable of delivering a fantastic performance in each project that he takes part in. Ejiofor has popped up in the MCU as the character Baron Mordo in Doctor Strange, and he was an early contender for the role of Black Panther.
7 We'd Cast: Derek Luke Would Have Added Some Coolness To T'Challa
Derek Luke has been in the game for years now, and he can bring a coolness to a role that few other performers can offer. Luke has appeared in the MCU before, landing the role of Gabe Jones in Captain America: The First Avenger. We feel that he could have excelled as T’Challa.
6 Wanted It: Noel Clarke Wanted To Star And Work On Black Panther
Noel Clarke is a performer from across the pond that has earned legions of fans by appearing on the hit series Doctor Who for a number of years. Clarke had wanted to get his hands on the Black Panther film and work behind the scenes as well as starring as the lead.
5 We'd Cast: Donald Glover Should Have Gotten A Larger MCU Role
Donald Glover has blossomed into one of the best performers in the business, and he can do it all on screen. Glover had a minor role in Spider-Man: Homecoming that fans hope will develop down the line. Seeing him as T’Challa would have been a pretty incredible turn of events.
4 Wanted It: John Boyega Was An Early Contender For Black Panther
John Boyega was able to become a household name after he landed the role of Finn in the modern Star Wars films. Those films would all gross over $1 billion at the box office, making Boyega a massive success. It has been rumored that he was an early contender for the Black Panther role.
3 We'd Cast: Jamie Foxx Could Have Gotten His Superhero Movie Redemption
Jamie Foxx is one of the most famous performers on the planet, with an acting range that few can match. Foxx has appeared in a Marvel movie before, but not one that takes place inside the MCU. Seeing him as Black Panther could have been great and he would have gotten his superhero movie redemption.
2 We'd Cast: Michael Ealy Would Have Been A Balanced Black Panther
Michael Ealy is no stranger to taking part in successful projects, and he has garnered a wealth of experience since breaking out some time ago. Ealy manages to bring a chilling nature to his characters, so seeing him rule Wakanda and fight Thanos with a relaxed demeanor would have been interesting.
1 Wanted It: Wesley Snipes Wanted To Play Black Panther Years Ago
Wesley Snipes is one of the most famous performers of his era, and he already has superhero movie experience with his work in the Blade franchise. Snipes had wanted to make a Black Panther project years ago, but this did not work out. Fans would love to see him in the sequel.