New York Comic Con News:  Marvel Entertainment has announced that Oscar-winning actor Forest Whitaker (The Last King of Scotland, Roots, Lee Daniel’s The Butler) is joining the cast of Marvel Studios’ Black Panther, and will play the role of Zuri, an elder statesman of the Wakanda.  Directed by Ryan Coogler (Fruitvale Station, Creed), Black Panther is slated to debut in theaters on February 16, 2018 with a fine cast that includes Chadwick Boseman (T’Challa), Michael B. Jordan (Erik Killmonger), Lupita Nyong’o (Nakia), and Danai Gurira (Okoye).  Marvel is planning a major merchandising program in conjunction with the release of the film (see "Marvel Unveils 'Black Panther' Merchandising Program").

Also joining the Black Panther cast, according to Marvel.com  are Florence Kasumba, who will reprise her Captain America: Civil War role as Ayo (a member of the Dora Milaje, Daniel Kaluuya, who will play T’Challa’s friend W’Kabi, and Winston Duke will portray M’Baku, the leader of a rival tribe.