The countdown to the upcoming Black Panther film is nearing it’s one year mark, which means that the production is really kicking into gear. This also means adding new actors to the cast. The newest addition to the Marvel Studios’ upcoming movie is Angela Bassett, who will be playing Ramonda, the titular character’s mother.
Who is Angela Bassett?
The Academy Award-nominated actress, Angela Bassett, is a quite the star. With over 80 acting credits next to her name, you may know her for her role as Betty Shabazz in Malcolm X, or her Golden Globe-winning role in What’s Love Got to Do With It. More recently, she has made a name for herself as Monet Tumusiime on American Horror Story: Roanoke.
Black Panther won’t be Bassett’s first superhero film. The actress played Doctor Waller in Green Lantern. In the DC Comics movie, her character is the head of a secret organization that leads her to discover the body of Abin Sur, another Green Lantern.
Who Is She Playing?
Angela Bassett is set to be playing the Queen of Wakanda, also known as Ramonda. The character is the wife of T’Chaka the King, and mother to T’Challa and Princess Shuri. Ramonda hasn’t made many appearances in the comics, so this leaves a lot open for the writers of the Black Panther movie to create a unique and interesting story.
Originally from South Africa, Ramonda was the adoptive mother of Black Panther, as her predecessor Queen had died giving birth to T’Challa. After the death of the King, she was abducted by a white supremacist and was hidden away for many years. However, Black Panther discovered her imprisonment, and brought her back to Wakanda, crowning her the Queen Mother.
What Does This Mean for Fans?
With still over a year to go until the release of the movie, fans know very little about the actual plot of the film. What we do know is that it will probably not be an origin story, as Captain America: Civil War laid out all the basics. This means that the film could explore any number of storylines from the Black Panther comics or forge its own path.
With the inclusion of Black Panther’s mother, this means we could possibly see some sort of twist on the story of her kidnapping. Because of Angela Bassett’s high profile, Marvel will most definitely not want to let her talent go to waste. That means fans can likely expect to see a lot of the Queen of Wakanda, whether or not the writers decide to go with the kidnapping storyline from the comics.
Chadwick Boseman has already signed on to play the king of Wakanda. The holder of the Black Panther mantle made his debut when he sided with Iron Man in Captain America: Civil War. Directed by Ryan Coogler, Black Panther will also star Michael B. Jordan and Lupita Nyong’o. The film will open Feb 16, 2018.
