MARVELThe cat's got our tongue on this one.
The bombastic success of Marvel's The Avengers—which has so far raked in a staggering $1.3 billion worldwide and ranks No. 3 among all-time top grossers—has Hollywood suits clamoring for the next big superhero breakout.
Could they be getting their paws on Black Panther next? Rampant chatter has spread in the geekverse that the first black comic-book superhero would receive his own big-screen redo, after fanboys sussed out clues in both Iron Man 2 and Captain America that hinted at BP's backstory.
Were they right?
Don't start prowling for more clues just yet, because the rumor is…
So false!
A studio rep tells E! News that there's no truth to the reports.
Black Panther, who possesses superhuman speed, agility and senses, was created by comics god Stan Lee (X-Men, Spider-Man) in 1966 and has been a fan favorite among urban audiences.
So what got this little rumor started in the first place?
Well, it all boils down to a little place called Wakanda.
Waka what?
The fictional African kingdom is Black Panther's home base, and it supposedly showed up briefly on a map in Iron Man 2. Additionally, Wakanda is the source of a rare metal called Vibranium, which was used to make Cap's famous shield in Captain America.
This wouldn't have been the first time Hollywood's tried to cage Black Panther: A movie version was reportedly being developed in the early ‘90s, with Wesley Snipes rumored to star.
Sorry, geekaholics: Guess we won't be getting a big-screen roar from Black Panther…for now.