An enduring highlight of Marvel’s vast cinematic universe, Black Panther took us to the titular hero’s fabulous, fictional home country of Wakanda. The vision of Black superhero utopia earned a Best Picture nomination and made T’Challa’s performer Chadwick Boseman all the more legendary—excitement that was hushed in 2020 by the actor’s sudden death after a private struggle with colon cancer.
Boseman and his legendary character can hopefully live on in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. The Marvel super-sequel arrives in NZ cinemas on November 10 with tickets now on sale, and we have the brand new trailer below at the ready to get our hype goin’.
Letitia Wright, who plays T’Challa’s innovative sister Shuri, seems set to take over as the franchise’s lead hero—although she too has faced some unfortunate obstacles, being hospitalized with minor injuries after an on-set accident and facing backlash for vaccine skepticism. Luckily she’ll be backed up by returning stars Lupita Nyong’o, Angela Bassett, Michael B. Jordan, Winston Duke, and Danai Gurira, as well as new faces Tenoch Huerta as Namor, Dominique Thorne as Ironheart, and the great Michaela Coel as Dora Milaje fighter Aneka.
Disney and Marvel have previously capitalised on any anti-ageing or mo-cap tech they can to bring back past characters, but the studio’s CEO Kevin Feige has confirmed that they will not attempt to bring Black Panther himself back to our screens: either with technology, or by casting a new actor. “His portrayal of T’Challa the Black Panther is iconic and transcends any iteration of the character in any other medium from Marvel’s past. And it’s for that reason that we will not recast the character.” That’s a decent decision, and very respectful of grieving family and fans.
The very last title in Marvel’s Phase Four production slate, Wakanda Forever brings Ryan Coogler’s directorial skill back to the pretty overstuffed MCU, and we couldn’t be happier to see him reunited with these great actors. To quote Riri Williams in the trailer: “Lesssssgooooo!”
