Black Panther: Ryan Coogler casts Creed actor Michael B Jordan in new Marvel film

The Fruitvale Station actor is reportedly playing the film's villain

Robb expresses delight that Jordan chose to follow her on Twitter (2016 Getty Images)

Having made his superhero debut in last year's doomed Fantastic Four reboot, Michael B. Jordan has been thrown a bone by his Creed director Ryan Coogler who has cast him in the upcoming marvel film Black Panther.

The actor - who also starred in Coogler's Fruitvale Station - is, according to The Hollywood Reporter, in line to play the film's villain opposite Chadwick Boseman's hero.

Black Panther will further explore the history of Boseman's T'Challa, the warrior king of Marvel's fictional country Wakanda, following his initial debut in Captain America: Civil War.

It was reported this week that Lupita Nyong'o is being lined to play the superhero's love interest.

Jordan's early roles included appearances in TV shows The Wire and Friday Night Lights. Creed saw him take on the role of Rocky character Apollo's son alongside Sylvester Stallone. Next up, he'll star in a remake of The Thomas Crown Affair.

He starred as the human torch in Josh Trank's critically-derided Fantastic Four reboot, ten years after Captain America actor Chris Evans played the same character.

There's still quite a while to go before Black Panther's standalone outing with the film's release date set for 18 February 2018.