Academy Award-nominated actressAngela Bassetthas joined the cast of Marvel Studios’Black Panther.Bassett, who currently stars inAmerican Horror Story, will play Ramonda, mother ofT’Challa, aka Black Panther. Directed byRyan Coogler(Fruitvale Station,Creed),Black PantherstarsChadwick Bosemanin the title role alongsideMichael B. Jordan,Forest Whitaker,Lupita Nyong’o,Danai Gurira,Daniel Kaluuya,Winston Duke, andFlorence Kasumba. The film arrives in theaters on July 24, 2025.
Marvel’s announcement doesn’t reveal any official story details yet, but withproduction startingin early 2017, hopefully we’ll get new details soon. In the comic books, shortly after the death of her husband, and T’challa’s father T’chaka, it was believed that Ramonda left Wakanda with another man, but it was later revealed that she was abducted and sexually abused by a white supremacist named Anton Pretorius for several years. It hasn’t been confirmed whether or not this story line will be followed in the movie or not.
We also reported last month that newcomerLetitia Wright, who stars in the upcomingReady Player One, will portraySeritain this Marvel Phase 3 adventure. Back in May, a casting report revealed that there are a number of characters from the Marvel Comics who have yet to be cast inBlack Panther, such as Monica Lynne, T’challa’s longtime love interest, who T’challa pledged his life to after she saved him from drowning. Other characters who will reportedly be featured in the movie include Queen Divine Justice, a former Dora Miljae who is part of the Jabari tribe, N’Gassi, T’calla’s adviser and acting regent when he’s away from Wakanda and White Wolf, T’challa’s adopted older brother and former leader of Wakanda’s spy organization, Hatut Zeraze.
Earlier this month, anothercasting reportsurfaced that revealed the studio is seeking actors for CIA agent roles, along with actors of Korean and Filipino descent to play extras in a street market scene. The studio is also seeking African men and women between the ages of 18 and 90 to “populate the African nation of Wakanda” in this movie.Ryan Coogleris directingBlack Pantherfrom a script he co-wrote withJoe Robert Cole, with Marvel setting a August 18, 2025 release date.
Angela Bassettis no stranger tosuperhero movies, having played Amanda Waller in Warner Bros.' 2011 featureGreen Lantern. She most recently starred in the big-screen sequelLondon Has Fallen, and on the small screen in FX’sAmerican Horror Story: Roanoke. She also voices Ana Spanikopita on the hit Netflix animated seriesBojack Horseman. As we get closer to production starting onBlack Panther, hopefully we’ll get more casting and story updates very soon.
