Winston Duke is set to star in a new Amazon biopic, Marked Man, as civil rights and political activist Marcus Garvey. Duke is best known for his role as M’Baku in the Marvel Universe films Black Panther, Avengers: Infinity War, Avengers: End Game and Jordan Peele’s horror film Us. Duke will portray the life and times of a complex, historical figure who worked to end an era of colonialism and stop the spread of socialism in Africa, while passionately fighting for Black separatism.
The plot will follow the role Marcus Garvey played as a influential member of the Black nationalism movement in the 1920s. The series, similar to the storyline of Judas and the Black Messiah, will highlight the story of a young black man met with conflicting moral and legal decisions after joining J. Edgar Hoover’s FBI and subsequently infiltrates Garvey’s UNIA organization.
Garvey ushers in a unique perspective that separated him from the other prominent Black activists during that time. Unlike his civil rights counterparts like W.E.B. Du Bois, Garvey was gravely uninterested in racial integration and instead hoped to create a community for Black people.
The film directed by Andrew Dosunmu is said to be inspired by the Colin Grant biography Negro with a Hat: The Rise and Fall of Marcus Garvey. Actor and activist Jesse Williams and She’s Gotta Have It star, DeWanda Wise, are also reported to be joining the cast.
Duke shares how honored he is to portray the Pan-Africanist in his upcoming role on Instagram,
“Man, where do I begin. As a Caribbean immigrant, activist, and global citizen, one of the most seminal stories in my development has been the words and works of Marcus Garvey. Today I am blessed to announce that I have the opportunity to bring his story to life, along with a kick-ass crew of collaborators. It’s not lost on me how important and meaningful this is, not only for the generations that already know his contributions to the Black liberation landscape but for those who have yet to know and embrace him and what he stood for. Can’t wait to step into this one and bring you all along for the amazing journey,” he continued.
There is no release date for Marked Man at the moment. Fortunately for fans of the Marvel Universe, Duke will be returning this summer to film Black Panther 2.
