Why Funke Akindele Starring in Avengers: Infinity War was Too Good to be True

When Funke Akindele was revealed to be a member of the cast in the upcoming Avengers: Infinity War, everyone over here at Cinemashed, and the whole country were ecstatic at the thought of Jenifa crossing over to Hollywood in such an amazing manner. However, barely a day later, her name was removed and replaced with Genevieve Nnaji’s.

That move confirmed our thoughts here, that Funke’s name in the movie was, in fact, too good to be true.

Firstly, Avengers: Infinity War had already finished filming since last year, even though the official cast list was just revealed. So how would it have been possible for Funke to be an actress in the movie? One would have made a claim that it’s possible they tried keeping it under wraps until she got the go-ahead from Marvel, but Funke has been pretty busy in Nollywood for the past two years to have gone unnoticed during the times she would have been filming her scenes for Marvel’s big budget movie.

Next is the most important fact there is – She isn’t a member of the cast of Black Panther. Her role as a Dora Milaje (Black Panther’s all-female royal guard) would have seen her first show up in Black Panther, which is scheduled for release in February, before Avengers: Infinity War, which is set for release in May. Her exclusion from Black Panther further proved that it must have been a hoax from the start.

If we were to consider her exclusion from Black Panther, that would only be possible if she newly joins the Dora Milaje in Infinity War. And that could also double up as a possible spoiler for Black Panther because it would mean that at least one of the current Dora Milaje will die when Kilmonger comes to try and usurp T’Challa’s throne and kingdom.

Now, even Genevieve’s name in the “updated cast list on IMDB” is still too good to be true for the same reasons above. However, it would have been so, so cool to see either one of our favourite Nollywood stars be bald-headed, hot and steamy, spear-brandishing fierce female warriors that the Dora Milaje are known to be.

Regardless, Nigeria and Africa will be represented in both Black Panther and Infinity War with the core members of the Dora Milaje having names like Okoye and Ayo.

You can watch Black Panther when it hits cinemas on February 16, and then Avengers: Infinity War, when it drops on May 4th.