The first appearance of Black Panther was one of the highlights of last year’s Captain America: Civil War, and expectations are high for the character’s standalone Marvel movie next year. The latest issue of Entertainment Weekly reveals plot and character details about the movie, as well as a host of new images.
The images can be viewed over at EW–they are mostly set in Black Panther’s homeland of Wakanda, and highlight the film’s striking costume and set design. They also feature many of the cast, including Chadwick Boseman, who plays the title role, Michael B. Jordan (Creed), Danai Gurira (The Walking Dead), Lupita Nyong’o (Star Wars: The Force Awakens), Andy Serkis (War for the Planet of the Apes), Martin Freeman (The Hobbit), and Forest Whitaker (Star Wars: Rogue One).
The site also reveals new details about some of the characters. Serkis returns as mercenary Ulysses Klawto, a role he played in Avengers: Age of Ultron, while Jordan plays Black Panther’s villainous adversary Erik Killmonger. In addition, Nyong’o is an undercover operative called Nakia and Whittaker plays a shaman known as Zuri.
In an interview that accompanies the pictures, producer Nate Moore suggests that Black Panther will be very different from most modern superhero films. “What I think we landed on was sort of a cross between James Bond and The Godfather,” he said. “A big, operatic family drama centered on a world of international espionage. So hopefully we’re getting the best of both worlds.”
The first Black Panther trailer was released last month–check it out here. The movie hits theaters on February 16, 2018.