Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje Tagged Articles at Cinematical

Superheroines like Wonder Woman and Wasp aren't the only ones getting the short end of the adaptation stick. There hasn't been a real rush to offer up a little racial diversity either, despite that there are Marvel and DC heroes who are people of color. I mean, Luke Cage, Black Panther, Amazing Man, and the Silver Samurai would make fine films, but they're either languishing in talks, or excluded from the conversation altogether.

But there's some hope that we might see a Black Panther movie, and if we do, the credit might just go to the intense Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje. In an interview with Blackfilm, he revealed that the rights to the character have reverted back to Marvel. "It's now up for grabs and I'm doing the grabbing. I've always had a passion to play a superhero, and now it appears to becoming real. We're in talks with Marvel to playing one of my favorite superheroes, which is obviously Black Panther. There is truth to that, the fact that we are talking. It would be a boyhood dream to have that materialized. I was at Comic Con this year and the timing for such a character to come to life couldn't be more appropriate. I would love to be the one to wear the suit and go out and represent."

There's no doubt he'd represent very well , and just in case anyone from Marvel is reading, Agbaje would like stress why he's right pick for the role. "I'd like to convey an element of him that is real and raw ... I can make this guy real ... I would bring some elements from my culture, which is Nigeria. I'm from an area which is known for its regality. In fact, my name, Adewale, means the crown has come home, the crown is here. Together, with that rawness, and the regality because he is an African prince, I would love to bring out the cultural elements of my background to it." Sounds like a perfect fit to me ...

My goodness, it seems like everywhere you turn somebody else is signing up for the big-screen adaptation of G.I. Joe. Variety reports that Dennis Quaid has now signed to star as General Hawk. You know, your typical 'grizzled' military man. He's probably going to have a cigar chomped in his teeth for three-quarters of the film. The news came on the heels of official word that Channing Tatum had been hired to play Duke; the second in command of the elite team with 'kung-fu grip'. Yesterday, Erik had also reported that Arnold Vosloo (The Mummy) will be playing Zartan, but so far there is no official word.

It looks like Quaid is technically one of the biggest name stars in the cast, which includes Marlon Wayans as Ripcord and Sienna Miller as The Baroness. Some of the other 'Joe' characters who will be making an appearance are Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, who will play Heavy Duty, Byung-hun Lee as Storm shadow, Ray Park as Snake Eyes, and Said Taghmaoui as Breaker.

So far, there aren't many details about the plot, but what we do know is that Stuart Beattie's script will focus on "A European-based military unit known as Global Integrated Joint Operating Entity (G.I.J.O.E.), a hi-tech, international force of special operatives that takes on an evil organization led by a notorious arms dealer". There are still a few more spots to fill, but it looks like director Stephen Sommers has almost finished assembling his team. Just in time too, since the film is scheduled to start shooting next month. G.I. Joe is scheduled for release on August 7th, 2009.

UPDATE: IESB now says that David Murray (a theater actor, apparently) has landed the role of Destro in G.I. Joe. Destro is the main villain in the film, and is described as the "faceless power behind Military Armaments Research System, the largest manufacturer of state-of-the-art weaponry."

I might not be the biggest G.I. Joe fan out there, but even I am starting to question some of the casting decisions for Paramount's big-screen adaptation. Variety reports that Marlon Wayans of White Chicks fame has signed to play Ripcord in their feature film based on the classic cartoon (nothing against the guy, he was great in Requiem for a Dream, but then again he did star in Little Man). For those of you out there who aren't all that familiar with "the *Greatest American Hero", Ripcord was one of the good guys and was the leader of a paramilitary group. He made his first appearance back in 1985 and was thought of as the "new wave" of recruits after the first round of 'Joes' retired. Joseph Gordon-Levitt is also said to be in negotiations to co-star, though his character is not named.

Mummy director Stephen Sommers will helm the script written by Stuart Beattie. The update of the story now has it set 10 years in the future and the Global Integrated Joint Operating Entity (G.I.J.O.E.) are still saving humanity from an arms dealer. News of Wayans joining the cast came just a few weeks after it was announced that Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje (LOST) and Said Taghmaoui (The Kite Runner) would be joining Sienna Miller and Ray Park in the cast as 'Heavy Duty' and 'Breaker'. So for fans who might be keeping track, so far making appearances in the film will be; Ripcord, Heavy Duty, Breaker, with the possibility of Scarlett and Storm Shadow also popping up. Shooting is set to begin in Los Angeles this February and G.I. Joe is scheduled for release on August 7th, 2008.

*Correction: Joes were known as the "Real American Heroes"