Chadwick Boseman Will Lead BLACK PANTHER Into the Marvel Cinematic Universe on Nov. 3, 2017

After years of speculation over the project, Black Panther is finally coming to the big screen. Marvel Studios announced on Tuesday that 42 and Get On Up star Chadwick Boseman will play T'Challa, the king of Wakanda.

"Black Panther and all of Wakanda is one of the most interesting characters in Marvel history," Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige said during Tuesday's event. "He's a bit of a prince, he may even become a bit of a king, but it's all about how this isolationist country meets the world. Maybe it goes well, maybe it doesn't."

Marvel has long teased Black Panther in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, including Wakanda's location in Africa on one of the many maps shown in Iron Man 2.

Bringing Black Panther to the big screen should help Marvel shut up everyone complaining that the studio lacks diversity. Sure, Warner Bros. is going to make a Cyborg movie, but who really cares about Cyborg?

Boseman is a great casting move for Marvel Studios, previously earning rave reviews for 42 and Get On Up.

"I'm blessed to be a part of this Marvel Universe, and to work with you both, and I look forward to making magic together," Boseman said after he appeared on stage with Chris Evans and Robert Downey Jr.

Before appearing in his own movie, Black Panther will debut in Captain America: Civil War in May 2016. The character didn't play a pivotal role in the Civil War comics storyline, so it'll be interesting to see how Marvel works him into the third Captain America movie.

Speculation over Black Panther and Wakanda point to those elements having a role in Avengers: Age of Ultron too, with many thinking that Andy Serkis' mystery non-motion-capture role is Ulysses Klaw. In the comics, Klaw killed T'Chaka, the father of T'Challa. In the awesome first trailer for Age of Ultron, we saw Captain America's shield broken in half. Between that and Ultron's need to build a state-of-the-art body, vibranium is going to be in high demand during the Avengers sequel. Good thing Wakanda has a ton of vibranium.

Black Panther will open on Nov. 3, 2017. A director hasn't been announced yet.