Michael B. Jordan

HAS THE THRONE IN HIS SIGHTS…

Whenever he speaks, you feel something,” says Michael B. Jordan of the real-life figure he plays in his new film. “You feel motivated, you feel like you want to go out there and be a part of the change.” You might say the same about Jordan, who is fast becoming a beacon for Hollywood change, as well as an electric leading man.

After the premiere at TIFF, Jordan stepped into awards-race discussions for his lead role in legal drama Just Mercy, which he also co-produced. He plays Bryan Stevenson, the activist lawyer who sought out justice for wrongly imprisoned death-row inmates. If the buzz gains traction, it will be the first Oscar nomination for Jordan, and not before time. After charismatic TV showings in The Wire and Friday Night Lights, he delivered stand-out turns in George Lucas’ Red Tails and Josh Trank’s Chronicle. His pace picked up when he found the Scorsese to his De Niro in Ryan Coogler, whose wrenching

debut, Fruitvale Station, marked the first of three collaborations (to date) between director/star. After the layered charisma and stacked abs of his Adonis in Coogler’s Rocky extension, Creed, Jordan tapped deep reserves of soulful swagger to play Black Panther villainfor-the-ages, Killmonger.

Along the way, he has used his production company, Outlier Society, to push for a more inclusive Hollywood. Just Mercy is Outlier’s first release, after which Jordan has many more projects lined up. Besides revisiting Killmonger for Disney+’s What If…? (and, possibly, Black Panther 2), he will star in and executive produce Netflix show Raising Dion, about a superpowered black boy. Other incoming commitments include lead roles in Tom Clancy adap Without Remorse and Coogler’s school-based drama Wrong Answer, alongside rumours of a headlining role in a remake of The Thomas Crown Affair.

Meanwhile, his stated desire to direct has stoked rumours that Jordan will helm both an adaptation of YA novel The Stars Beneath Our Feet, and the third Creed outing. “We’re definitely going to do Creed III,” he told ET Canada, carefully revealing nothing on whether he will direct as well as star. Either way, we’re definitely listening.

ETA | 24 JANUARY 2020 / JUST MERCY OPENS EARLY NEXT YEAR.