Chadwick Boseman to play first black samurai in 'Yasuke'

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Los Angeles: "Black Panther" star Chadwick Boseman is set to topline action drama "Yasuke", about the first black man who served as a samurai to a Japanese warlord.

The 41-year-old actor will play the eponymous character, Yasuke, the Japanese name of a samurai of African origin who fought under a Japanese warlord Oda Nobunaga during the 1580s.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the project is based on the true story of the only known African to reach the samurai ranking in feudal Japan. Doug Miro of "Narcos" fame is writing the screenplay.

The film will be produced by Eric Feig's Picturestart, De Luca Productions, Solipsist Films, and Xception Content. 

A director for the film is yet to be announced.

De Luca, L'Heureux, Boseman and Logan Coles will serve as producers.