At the "ripe old " age of 38 (at least as far as Hollywood is concerned), Omari Hardwick is probably a long-shot for the role of the Black Panther, and he's not exactly famous enough to make Marvel overlook the fact that he's pushing 40. Then again, he's got a fairly impressive list of movie credits, having played supporting parts in major films including Spike Lee's "Miracle at St. Anna," Tyler Perry's "For Colored Girls" and "The A-Team" (not to mention his series regular roles in the TNT series "Dark Blue" and "Saved"). With a substantial part in the upcoming showbiz drama "Sparkle" opposite Jordin Sparks and the late Whitney Houston on the horizon, Hardwick could be on his way to garnering more mainstream recognition, and potentially a better shot at being considered - if the movie doesn't tank, that is.

- Chris Eggertsen