The President of Marvel Studios’ Kevin Feige said Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is the most important film they have ever produced and it is on so many levels. The new movie which is out in the UK on the 11 of November is a sequel the 2018 blockbuster Black Panther, which starred the late Chadwick Boseman as T’Challa, King of Wakanda. Tragically Boseman passed away in 2020, shocking fans and loved ones.
This has resulted in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever being reshaped as a tribute to both Boseman and his character; T’Challa has passed away by the time the sequel gets underway. The opening scene sets the tone of remembering the late star with various scenes of Boseman as T’Challa. We are also met with the traditional funeral of T’Challa: dressed in white the cast carry T’Challa’s coffin as they mourn the characters demise in juxtaposition with the real life Chadwick.
Lupita N’yongo said “it is a very special moment to be coming back and doing this film without Chadwick and we made this film in his honour”.
In talking to the cast one of the things that recurred was the word grief when asked what the movie was about and how it was to honour Chadwick. Winston Duke said ” the movie tells you there is no right way to grief” it is OK.
In honouring Chadwick Coogler has not side stepped a brilliant and beautifully told story. In Black Panther: Wakanda Forever we see Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett) and Princess Shuri (Letitia Wright) facing their grief after T’Challa’s death, but they also have to deal with the arrival of a new threat, Namor (Tenoch Huerta), from the hidden undersea kingdom of Talokan.
With some powerful scenes from Angela Bassett as she plays the grieved Queen Ramonda fighting to save her Kingdom and her family or what is left of it. Coogler has put women in front and centre in this movie seeing Danai lead the all female pall bearers take T’Challa’s coffin to rest and Letitia Wright stepping into the lead as Princess Shuri dealing with the anguish of losing her brother and having to protect Wakanda from a new nemesis.
Namor (Tenoch Huerta) is a worthy adversary the introduction of this new character is also about representation as the acclaimed actor Huerta put it is about the visibility of “Brown Mexicans”, bringing “this ancient culture or roots our heritage for Latin Americans means so much”, his MCU debut comes with a standout performance, Disney might want to explore taking this character out of Black Panther to it’s own movie. Just saying….
Before Boseman’s untimely death Coogler had a very different story for Black Panther, finishing the script just days before the actors death, Coogler reached out to Boseman to read it but got a “no you go ahead” for Coogler to let the studios read the script. days after Boseman passed. The question of who will play or won’t become the next Black Panther is answered in this movie and they are some very moving surprises.
Expectations are high for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever in terms of what audiences will make of the new film without Boseman. The film will not disappoint diehard fans, new fans and lovers of action, The underwater scenes are breath-taking. It’s grand ensemble in front and behind the camer pull together to make Coogler’s vision speak to what the first movie was within the themes and exceptional performances. With the introduction of new characters like Namor Aneka (Michaela Coel) and Riri Williams aka Ironheart (Dominique Thorne) the bar is set high.
ALT recommends this movie, a true masterclass in Superhero storytelling, there is talk of Oscars glory which for the 36 year old director is truly merited. To echo MCU’s Kevin Feige this is an important movie for Marvel, it is also important for so many many more reasons that audiences will see when it hits the cinema on November 11. Wakanda!!!!
“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett), Shuri (Letitia Wright), M’Baku (Winston Duke), Okoye (Danai Gurira) and the Dora Milaje Florence Kasumba) Lupita Nyong’o
Nakia
