Graphic by Ameer Almedhychy
On November 11th, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever was released. It was the latest Marvel movie to hit theaters, and during opening weekend, it made $181 million in the USA and $331 million worldwide.
As expected, much of the cast from Black Panther returned. Letitia Wright came back to play Shuri, Black Panther’s sister. During the filming process, there were many questions about her relationship with Marvel, due to her stance on covid vaccines; at one point, there were rumors that she had been fired. Those rumors turned out to be false.
Angela Bassett, Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira, and Winston Duke, all returned to reprise their roles. Additionally, there were a handful of new actors who joined the cast. Among them included Tenoch Huerta Mejía, playing the main antagonist, Namor, and Dominique Thorne, making her Marvel debut as Ironheart, ahead of her 2023 TV show Ironheart.
After directing Black Panther, Ryan Coogler returned to direct Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Most of the movie was filmed in Atlanta, however, one significant chase scene was filmed in Boston. Just like most Marvel movies, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever had a hefty budget of 250 million dollars.
The most noticeable difference though was the absence of Chadwick Boseman who played Black Panther. He sadly passed away due to colon cancer in 2020, and Marvel made the decision not to recast Black Panther out of respect for Chadwick Boseman.
Ludwig Göransson returned to produce the soundtrack for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Rihanna returned to music after taking a 6-year hiatus, singing “Lift Me Up” as a tribute to Chadwick Boseman.
The film follows Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett), Shuri (Letitia Wright), M’Baku (Winston Duke), and Okoye (Danai Gurira). They are grieving the death of King T’Challa while trying to protect their nation from international powers taking over the country. One of these international powers is Talokan led by Namor. Will Wakanda be able to defend itself, or will all the challenges be too much to overcome?
Black Panther was a captivating and emotional roller coaster. It did a stunning job of honoring Chadwick Boseman, and his legacy of Black Panther.
The action scenes were some of the best Marvel has choreographed, and the on-screen chemistry between Shuri and Okoye was radiant. Angela Bassett has also been heavily praised for her portrayal of Queen Ramonda and rightfully so; the grief she was carrying throughout the movie shone through the screen. Verity Magazine said, “Angela Bassett is mesmerizing”. Indie Wire called her, “emotionally stirring”.
With every great movie also comes its critics, and the biggest criticism of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever was its lengthy and intricate storyline. Ryan Coogler had to try to find a balance between grieving the death of King T’Challa and planting the seeds for future Marvel projects; both of which had to be done while still captivating audiences.
Overall, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is definitely worth watching. The movie is a story about death, grief, and rebirth, showing how different people handle death in their unique ways. Ultimately though, it’s a stunning tribute to the late Chadwick Boseman that pulls at everyone’s heartstrings.
