Is '42' Star Chadwick Boseman Marvel's Pick to Play the Black Panther?

Has Marvel finally picked an actor to play the Black Panther? Well, according to Latino-Review, 42 star Chadwick Boseman is the studio's top choice to play one of the biggest Marvel characters who has yet to make the jump to the big screen.

Before we go any further, I need to point out that Latino-Review has not been doing well with its latest run of "scoops." The site seems more focused on building its mailing list than actually reporting real things, with its rumor that Harrison Ford was a done deal for Star Wars: Episode VII being impossible to prove or debunk, its story that The Avengers 3 would adapt the Planet Hulk and World War Hulk storylines being vehemently denied, and its report that Christopher Nolan would godfather a Justice League movie with Christian Bale returning as Batman all but dead on arrival. There was a day when Latino-Review actually delivered scoops, but we don't seem to be living in that time anymore.

That said, I feel like Popculturology needs to pass along a rumor like this. Black Panther, along with Ant-Man and Doctor Strange, are two of Marvel's biggest properties missing from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. If the studio has honed in on an actor to play T'Challa, it's a big deal. Boseman is on the verge of stardom, but he'll still fit Marvel's strategy of hiring actors who won't demand a huge contract, Robert Downey Jr. aside.* A Black Panther movie would be a perfect part of Phase Three after The Avengers 2.

Speaking of The Avengers 2, with that movie moving closer to shooting, the studio is going to have to find actors to play the Black Panther, Ant-Man and Doctor Strange if they want to use The Avengers 2 to launch those franchises. The news that Marvel has increased its search for one of the characters makes sense at this point.

*Downey can pretty much ask for whatever he wants now, and if Marvel wants to make a couple billion dollars more from The Avengers 2 and Iron Man 4, they'll gladly pony up.