Well, I was writing the Black Panther comic book for Marvel, and then at the same time, I was doing a deal to the first-ever president of entertainment at BET.
How did the Black Panther animated series come about? And after directing Black Panther star Chadwick Boseman in last fall’s Marshall, the 56-year-old filmmaker is also slated to direct a Shadowman movie about the New Orleans–based hero from Valiant Comics.Īhead of Black Panther’s release, Vulture caught up with Hudlin to talk about the origins of the animated series, his upcoming work with Milestone Media, and the future of black superheroes in film. These days, Hudlin’s life no longer revolves around the Black Panther, but he’s still immersed in comics: Since 2015, he’s been plotting the revival of Milestone Comics, the ’90s comic-book company co-founded by Denys Cowan, Derek Dingle, and the late Dwayne McDuffie that introduced a diverse array of characters, including fan favorite Static Shock. Meanwhile, the Black Panther animated series, which aired its sole season in 2011, drew the likes of Djimon Hounsou, Kerry Washington, Alfre Woodard, and Jill Scott into the world of Wakanda. While Christopher Priest is widely credited for making Black Panther cool, Hudlin’s run on the comic introduced major plotlines, including the landmark marriage of Black Panther and Storm, as well as the creation of T’Challa’s half-sister Princess Shuri, portrayed by Letitia Wright in the upcoming film. The Hollywood veteran, who directed classic ’90s films like House Party and Boomerang, found himself in a unique position after he began writing for Marvel: In the summer of 2005, he was also hired as the president of entertainment at BET, which eventually led him to produce the first and only Black Panther animated TV series. Twelve years before Black Panther became one of the most anticipated superhero films of all time, Reginald Hudlin was hired to pen a comic-book series that helped pave the road to T’Challa’s big-screen success.
Photo: John Romita Jr., Klaus Janson, Dean White/Marvel Entertainment
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