Everett Ross (Martin Freeman) and Ulysses Klaue (Andy Serkis) are very much the Tolkien white guys of Marvel’s Black Panther – one is a straight-laced CIA operative, the other a world-renowned war criminal who was first drafted into the MCU during Avengers: Age of Ultron.
And with his gold, sparkling teeth and snarling attitude, Serkis’ arms dealer made an immediate impression on moviegoers back in 2015. But a lot can change in the space of three years – just look at Chadwick Boseman’s T’Challa.
When Age of Ultron was ruling the roost, Black Panther was undoubtedly one of the lesser-known characters on the Marvel roster, and it was only when Boseman made his MCU debut in Captain America: Civil War that everyone began to stand up and take notice of their future king.
Meanwhile, Ulysses Klaue spent that time dabbling with Vibranium and upgrading his prosthetic arm to the best of his ability – so much so, in fact, that he was seen wielding a sonic cannon by the time Black Panther arrived. And while few would argue at the device’s design, CBM has relayed another gallery of concept art that shows some of the early alternatives that Marvel had considered.
Pretty cool, no? Indeed, all of these incarnations wouldn’t look out of place in Stark Industries, which gives you an idea of the raw power lurking within Wakanda’s Vibranium – hell, if it can give T’Chala a run for his money on the battlefield, Klaue’s technology ought to be handled with extreme care.
Black Panther is playing in theaters across the globe right now, and it’s said to be eyeing another huge weekend at the domestic box office – presumably at the expense of Death Wish and the Jennifer Lawrence-fronted spy thriller, Red Sparrow.
