Michael B. Jordan and Erik Killmonger

Which supervillain should Michael B. Jordan play in Black Panther? Last week Hollywood Reporter ran an article that Creed director Ryan Coogler is working to reunite with his star Michael B. Jordan on Black Panther.

The report says that “it is unclear whom Jordan would play, but one source told THR that it could be a villain.” Who is he playing? Marvel has no comment, but here’s a list of possible villains T’Challa could face.

8. M’Baku the Man-Ape

Man-Ape Source: Marvel Comics

First Appearance: Avengers #62 (1969)

Who is He? Let’s face it. Having a Black man called “Man-Ape” is a tough sell. So let’s just call him by his real name M’Baku. He was one of Wakanda’s greatest warriors next to T’Challa. But he performed the forbidden ceremony of the White Gorilla Cult by killing and eating a sacred white gorilla. He gained superhuman strength, stamina, and reflexes. Man-Ape challenged T’Challa for control of Wakanda to ban technology and return it to its primitive ways.

Why Would He Be a Great Villain for Black Panther? His history with the Wakandan leader and his challenge for control if the country would make a great storyline for exploring Black Panthers heritage and role as a king.

7. Death Tiger

Death Tiger Source: Marvel Comics

First Appearance: Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes II #3

Who Is He? No one knows who Death Tiger really is, but we do know he’s a member of a Wakandan Death Cult and a skilled warrior. In fact, with his blades and clawed hands, he’s equal to Black Panther in fighting skill.

At one point he was a warrior for Wakanda and we can only imagine the horrific acts he committed in the kingdom’s name. Eventually, he left the African nation and became a mercenary.

Why Would He Be a Great Villain for Black Panther? The fact that this psycho was once used by Wakanda would be a real challenge to T’Challa’s view of the country. He’d have to come face-to-face with a dark time in the country’s history while defeating an enemy as powerful as he is. 

6. Killjoy

Killjoy Source: Marvel Comics

First Appearance: Deathlok #23 (1993)

Who Is He? Killjoy is a mercenary and assassin who worked for Moses Magnum (see below) and is one of Black Panther’s most lethal foes. He’s a powerhouse and is skilled at numerous weapons including a set of indestructible Adamantium blades he can connect to make a double-bladed sword. He was created by the noted African-American comic book writer Dwayne McDuffie.

Why Would He Be a Great Villain for Black Panther? The battles between Black Panther and Killjoy would be incredible. A sword fight between the Black Panther’s claws and Killjoy’s blades would be the greatest in Marvel movie history. It’s doubtful Marvel would be able to use Adamantium since it’s owned by Fox, but they could use Vibranium and it would be even better.

5. Montague Hale

First Appearance: Avengers #73 (1970)

Who Is He? Hale was the incendiary talk show host of the show “Black World” and pretended to advocate the cause of civil rights. In reality, he was working to rebuild the racist hate group Sons of the Serpent. Hale was really trying to start a race war.

Why Would He Be a Great Villain for Black Panther? This character would be extremely controversial and timely considering the “Black Lives Matter” movement. Black Panther is an African leader and it would force him to face Africa’s own troubled past with racial inequality during the Apartheid era. Jordan would really have to work hard to bring this character to life, but it would be amazing.

4. Salamander K’Ruel

Salamander K’Ruel Source: Marvel Comics

First Appearance: Jungle Action #15 (1975)

Who Is He? K’Ruel’s history is shrouded in mystery, but he first shows up as one of the mercenaries hired by Eric Killmonger (see below) to overthrow the kingdom of Wakanda.

After an encounter with the massive deposit of Vibranium known as “The Great Mound” his body is covered with sharp quills and bumps which ooze a toxic substance. He’s also a master archer and shoots explosive arrows.

Why Would He Be a Great Villain for Black Panther? Visually he would be the most disgusting Marvel villain ever created and it would be hard to cover the normally handsome actor in make-up. That said, he’s a lethal foe and a battle between the two would be legendary.

3. Moses Magnum

Moses Magnum Source: Marvel Comics

First Appearance: Giant-Size Spider-Man #4 (1975)

Who Is He? Moses Magnum has a pretty complicated past but the short version is that he’s a weapons dealer and criminal mastermind who gained the ability to generate concussive force. Where it gets complicated is his past is tied into a lot of characters Marvel doesn’t own or have only appeared on TV.

While he has natural toughness from mutant abilities or some other means his vibration powers come from Apocalypse which is owned by Fox. Also, Punisher and Luke Cage Man play into his history pretty heavily since they foiled his plans to use chemical weapons.

So far Marvel hasn’t said Netflix characters are going to show in the movies so we can probably forget about Luke Cage too.

Why Would He Be a Great Villain for Black Panther? Besides amazing superpowers, he’s also a leader of the rival African nation Canaan. So, he’s a political leader like Black Panther and a masterful supervillain.

2. Achebe

Reverend Doctor Michael Ibn al-HajjSource: Marvel Comics

First Appearance: Black Panther #3 ( 1999)

Who is He? Achebe is a criminally insane villain known as the Reverend Doctor Michael Ibn al-Hajj. Some have compared Black Panther to Batman and writer co-creator Christopher Priest said the character is “the Joker to Panther’s Batman”. He has a love of mayhem and wants nothing but death and destruction.

We don’t know much about his past but it’s said that he was an African farmer from the neighboring country of Ujanka. Achebe was supposedly left for dead by rebels and returned to kill everyone involved and stabbing them exactly 32 times.

He goes on get a bunch of degrees from American Universities and lead a political uprising in Wakanda with the help of members of the US government.

Why Would He Be a Great Villain for Black Panther? His political ties, brilliant strategic planning and habit of talking to a hand puppet named Daki would make him one of the greatest villains in the Marvel universe.

1. Erik Killmonger

Erik Killmonger Source: Marvel Comics

First appearance: Jungle Action #6 (1973)

Who Is He? Erik Killmonger was born in Wakanda as N’Jadaka and was enslaved by the assassin of T’Challa’s father Ulysses Klaw. He hates T’Chaka because he thinks the former king’s kindness (which he saw as weakness) led to all his problems. He hid that hatred from T’Challa growing up in New York until he was repatriated to Wakanda and tried to overthrow Black Panther as ruler of the country.

Why Would He Be a Great Villain for Black Panther? He’s a match for Black Panther physically while his brilliant strategic mind makes him T’Challa’s match mentally. Killmonger is the great choice for Michael B. Jordan to play and the greatest foe Black Panther has ever faced.

Black Panther (2018) stars Chadwick Boseman as T’Challa, the warrior king of the technologically advanced city of Wakanda. He’s the first Black superhero in mainstream comics and the first African superhero as well. Black Panther is scheduled to be released on November 3, 2017

Which of these villains should Michael B. Jordan play? Is there someone I missed?

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