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Denzel Washington, an actor and master of many mediums hailing from America, recently made headlines by announcing that he would be taking the title role in Black Panther, the third installment of comic book hero series from Marvel Studios.
This he made known to Australia Today during the Press tour of the epic historical drama action film Gladiator 2. He also suggested that he has plans to quit acting very soon.
Denzel Washington starring in Black Panther 3
“I played Othello at 22, I’m about to play Othello at 70,” Denzel told Australia’s Today morning show in an interview published Nov. 11. “After that, I’m playing Hannibal. After that, I’ve been talking with Steve McQueen about a film.” – Denzel Washington
The first superhero movie with an almost wholly black cast was directed by Ryan Coogler and released in February 2018. By 2023, this highly decorated film had crossed the $1 billion mark in gross earnings making it the figures earnings for any superhero film then.
And remember how Chadwick Boseman, the hero of the film, while attending the AFI Lifetime Achievement Awards back in 2019 pointed out that Black Panther was not possible without Denzel Washington?
“My entire cast is standing on your shoulders,” he remarked. The thousand areas gained, the daily fights won. There are many sacrifices you have made throughout your career for the culture of movie sets. There was a zero – sum game that you forewent which set the law for many to follow. It is Denzel Washington who is not there, that makes Black Panther.
Boseman struggled with colon cancer for four years and died in August 2020. This became clear only after his death when the overriding disease prognosis had been revealed.
What to Expect from Denzel Washington in Black Panther 3
The movie’s expected inclusion of Washington has begun to generate excitement among the audience. This means that the character in question is likely a very powerful and authoritative one, and may also fit in the concept of leadership or wise persons, or even mentors, within Wakanda.
There are expectations from fans that he may be a Wakandan elder, a member of the royal family, or even a mentor who will be the torch bearer for King T’Challa’s legacy. There is no question that Washington is an actor endowed with a range of emotions that cut through drama and aggression in the manner in which he plays roles, so if played well, the role could be the heart of the action, more so if it concerns the future of Wakanda after the death of T’challa.
As already noted, the choice matters, even at a cultural level. Chadwick Boseman once acknowledged the role played by Washington in advancing their cause as Black actors in Hollywood.
Recalling that moment in an emotional way, Boseman insisted that “the whole cast is standing on [Washington’s] shoulders.” This casting choice may be construed as respect towards the character of Bosom and also to introduce another artist who has been a role model for thousands of actors of color in the industry.
Fans are assured that Black Panther 3 will center on more profound and moving themes with such actors as Washington joining the cast, which is bound to enhance the emotional depth of the MCU plot.
