#BlackPantherSoLit Trends on Twitter as Michael B. Jordan & Lupita Nyong’o (Maybe) Join The Film’s Cast

The newest addition to the Marvel film franchise Black Panther sparked hashtag #BlackPantherSoLit, which trended over the weekend.

Even though the superhero movie—a first for an African starring as the main character T’Challa (the Black Panther) — isn’t due out in theaters until February 2018, fans of the movie throughout the diaspora couldn’t help, but jump on Twitter to rejoice the news of what is shaping up to be the first ever predominately black cast starring in a Marvel film.

Fans already knew Creed director Ryan Coogler was set to direct and Chadwick Bosman to star as the uber-rich Wakandan King, but when news broke last week that both Creed actor Michael B. Jordan signed on and Oscar-winning actress Lupita Nyong’o is in talks to star in the film—they got pretty, well, lit.

Graduation day in Wakanda #BlackPantherSoLIT https://t.co/0xNglKQ0Pi

— Jackson M'vunganyi (@UpfrontAfrica) May 14, 2016

#BlackPantherSoLIT that on opening day everytime they play a trailer before it Imma be like... pic.twitter.com/MIxV4XqHBX

— W. Kamau Bell (@wkamaubell) May 14, 2016

@MDThomasWillis ????

— blckgamingnerd (@erockbaby3000) May 15, 2016

#BlackPantherSoLit the moment Lupita & Chadwick appear on screen together, I will be screaming: pic.twitter.com/uIiTifxapB

— Lisa Bolekaja (@LisaBolekaja) May 13, 2016

What’s more this development makes this project the third time Coogler and Jordan are joining forces—  they also worked together in films Creed and Fruitvale Station.

Twitter user @ChadwickNChill started the hashtag, and it continued with a slew of others like blogger Awesomely Luvvie and Oscar-nominated Selma director Ava Duvernay who chimed in.

#BlackPantherSoLIT that I'm showing up to the movie theater in gele and ankara. I might even bring jollof rice in my purse.

— Awesomely Luvvie (@Luvvie) May 14, 2016

Had to text #RyanCoogler and make sure he found someone to show him #BlackPantherSoLIT. Because epic! Cannot wait! pic.twitter.com/9Clkwanw4F

— Ava DuVernay (@AVAETC) May 14, 2016

Even Okayplayer’s Kevin L. Clarke added this hilarious take:

#BlackPantherSoLIT The movie score + soundtrack will have unreleased Prince, James Brown + Michael Jackson cuts. pic.twitter.com/bPcypM2K1f

— Kevin L. Clark (@KevitoClark) May 13, 2016

It also doesn’t hurt that this news was perfectly timed with the much-anticipated release of film Captain America: Civil War on May 6, set in Lagos, which gave comic aficionados and filmgoers, alike, a peek at what’s in store for Comic Republic’s debut film of what promises to be a full-blown franchise. And who can forget that show-stealing line “move or be moved” delivered by Ugandan-German actress Florence Kasumba, who starred as Dora Milajeline, the badass leader of Black Panther’s bodyguard squad?

Add to this that the comic Black Panther topped April 2016 sales  and it makes a lot of sense that fans, who are mad hype for Marvel’s first African superhero, flooded Twitter.