MTV talked with Luke Cage film star Tyrese Gibson and Marvel chief Avi Arad about the comic to film project.
"I'm probably going to be benching about 415 pounds once I get into that mode," Gibson told MTV. "They're just saying that 'Luke Cage was a real big and muscular guy, and we want to make sure that you appear to be that.'"
Arad says he expects the film will be R-rated, feature Cage's longtime foe Diamondback (probably played by Terrence Howard) and have a urban soundtrack.
"The whole idea behind Luke Cage is that he's anything but a hero. He's [a mercenary] for hire, and men like that find out it's a good business by accident. And then [find out] what's really inside him," Arad said.
"With [director John] Singleton and Arad looking to move forward in the production process, Tyrese plans to continue preparing himself for a once-in-a-lifetime part that he sees as far more than just another superhero flick," the Web site says.
"It is important," Gibson said of Cage's legacy. "Dave Chappelle said it. He said, 'Never be the first black person to ever do something, because you're going to go through way more hell than anybody else [who is] just following in their tradition.'
"The idea of [Cage] being the first-ever black comic-book hero was a lot, as far as a statement," he added. "Those are big shoes to fill, man, and I've got to do it and do it right."
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