Marvel’s Black Panther is set to arrive early next year and while we’ve have seen an intense teaser trailer for the film, a big portion of audiences don’t know very much about the titular Wakandan superhero or his origins. The bulk of what most people know of T’Challa was his memorable presence in 2016’s Captain America: Civil War, but now Entertainment Weekly has revealed some new details about the espionage-themed Black Panther plot and the Wakanda royal family, comparing the dynamic to James Bond and The Godfather.

The publication states that Wakanda is presented as an underdeveloped nation, but the secret reality is quite the opposite, sporting advancements decades ahead of the rest of the world. The fictional African nation owes this technology to the massive stockpile of Vibranium located solely in their midst, the unique metal being at the center of their society for thousands of years.

The Black Panther mantle is meant to be the ruler / protector of Wakanda and its treasures, but Civil War‘s events have stirred up an uprising in the country, many feeling the inexperienced T’Challa isn’t right for the role of king. Internal struggles combined with the threat of exposure from outside threats liken the film to two specific cinematic classics, as executive producer Nate Moore states:

What I think we landed on was sort of a cross between James Bond and The Godfather. A big, operatic family drama centered on a world of international espionage. So hopefully we’re getting the best of both worlds.”

Marvel’s Black Panther definitely holds more than a few parallels to both of those films with Black Panther‘s competitive family ascension to power and the covert missions involved with protecting Wakanda coming to mind. Also detailed by Entertainment Weekly was a few character descriptions, giving insight to how each of the main cast will be portrayed. A quick rundown on each character can be seen below:

• T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman) a.k.a. the Black Panther acts as a king, politician, and warrior for Wakanda.
• Ramonda (Angela Bassett) is T’Challa’s mother and provider of wisdom to the new king, as well as the rest of the kingdom.
• Nakia (Lupita Nyong’o) operates as a spy for Wakanda and sports some sweet ring blades.
• Shuri (Letitia Wright) is T’Challa’s kid sister and tech genius, often coming up with advanced upgrades for our heroes.
• Okoye (Danai Gurira) sports the bright orange armor and leads the all-female Wakandan guard – the Dora Milaje.
• Erik Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan) sitting atop the stairs is an antagonist allied with Vibranium-obsessed villain Ulysses Klaue (Andy Serkis).
• W’Kabi (Daniel Kaluuya) is best buds with T’Challa, formerly tasked with securing Wakanda’s borders.
• Zuri (Forest Whitaker) plays the role of spiritual figure, also keeper of the strength-enhancing Heart-Shaped Herb provided to the Black Panther (on the very left in purple).

What do you think? Does Marvel’s Black Panther plot seem like James Bond or The Godfather or perhaps something else entirely? Do you think the Heart-Shaped Herb tastes like metal? Let us know in the comments below and be sure to follow DFTG on Twitter for the latest in gaming and entertainment news 24 hours a day! For more from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, check out he next few links below:

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