Joe Robert Cole In Negotiations To Write Screenplay For “Black Panther”

Joe Robert Cole is currently in negotiations to write the screenplay for Black Panther, as reported by Comic Book Resources. Cole comes from the same in-house writer’s program that Nicole Perlman was part of when she wrote the first draft of Guardians of the Galaxy. The announcement mentions that Cole was rumored to have written a script for Inhumans, and a Collider report from last year indicates that the rumor may be true. The Wrap has heard that Cole’s Inhumans script is not expected to be used.

So far the only sure thing about Black Panther is its lead, Chadwick Boseman. No other actors have been cast for the film, although Andy Serkis is expected to reprise his Avengers: Age of Ultron role of Ulysses Klaue, a character known for being a Black Panther foe in the comics.

The search for a director for Black Panther has also not resulted in a contract; Selma director Ava DuVernay passed on the picture and, according to a report from The Wrap, F. Gary Gray (Straight Outta Compton) is apparently also out of the running, possibly due to his potential involvement in the Fast and Furious franchise.