"Creed" star Michael B. Jordan will play Marvel Comics villain Erik Killmonger in director Ryan Coogler's "Black Panther."

The announcement was made this evening during Marvel Studios' Hall H presentation at Comic-Con International in San Diego.

Virtually from the moment news surfaced in May of Jordan's casting as a potential villain, speculation gravitated toward Killmonger, a classic Black Panther villain introduced in 1973's "Jungle Action" #6.

A native of Wakanda, his father was forced into the service of Ulysses Klaw when he and his mercenaries attacked the African nation. Following Klaw's defeat, T'Challa exiled Killmonger's family, an act that led the son to swear revenge. With his repatriation back to Wakanda, Killmonger became a subversive, determined to return the technologically advanced nation to its ancient ways.

Opening Feb. 16, 2018, "Black Panther" also stars Chadwick Boseman, Lupita Nyong'o and Danai Gurira.