This weekend rising star Idris Elba will star in Guillermo Del Toro‘s epic, big-budget sci-fi film Pacific Rim.
Black audiences are excited to see an African-American score such a prominent role in what is likely to be a major blockbuster.
But Elba’s role is not without precedent. Black actors have been making a name for themselves in the sci-fi genre for decades.
In fact, even Elba himself stole scenes in last year’s hit Ridley Scott thriller Prometheus.
Check out theGrio slideshow above to see some our favorite black sci-fi heroes and villains.