Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Trailer Review
As a fan of Black Panther, I was super excited when Marvel Studios dropped the new trailer for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Being an African-American, the movie impacted me a lot. For the first time, there was a feature film of a Black super hero with ties to a strong, wealthy and technologically advanced African nation. People dressed in dashikis and went to the theaters in droves. The movie broke cultural barriers in which many critics considered it as one of the best in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).
In 2018, Black Panther was one of the top ten movies according to the American Film Institute. It went on to become the highest grossing film directed by a Black filmmaker and the 9th highest grossing film of all time. There is no doubt that Black Panther: Wakanda Forever will shatter those records. The movie has not been released and theaters are already selling out. In addition, it won 3 Academy Awards and was the first MCU film to receive a Best Picture nomination.
Much of the success of the movie revolved around the performance of Chadwick Boseman as T’Challa/Black Panther. He was an inspiration for millions of kids around the world. My husband and I are both fans of Boseman since his early days. Appearing in movies such as 42, Get On Up and Marshall, Boseman carved out a path for breakthrough performances. So it was a shock to hear the news of his passing in August 2020. After secretly battling colon cancer for four years, he succumbed to his illness. This left a void for the Black Panther character with the film already in the works.
Chadwick Boseman was an immensely talented actor and an inspirational individual who affected all of our lives professionally and personally. 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.
Producer Kevin Feige in December 2020 on the decision to not recast T’Challa following Boseman’s death
Director Ryan Coogler decided not to recast his role. He felt “it was too soon to recast.” I am so happy he decided not to. From the trailer, we can see the movie will have heart and action. According to Nate Moore (Co-Producer), is about “how you move forward while dealing with a tragic loss. All of the characters, both old and new, are dealing with how loss can affect your actions in ways that are emotional and surprising.” Both the characters and the fans can grieve together.
In Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, the people of Wakanda must band together to forge a new path for the kingdom in the wake of King T’Challa’s death. When a new threat emerges from under the sea, they must protect their kingdom from invading forces.
Led by Namor, the people of Talokan live in an under water city similar to Atlantis. When Namor takes an interest in the surface world, the Wakandans will need to figure out if he is friend or foe. From my knowledge of the character, Namor what is best for his country. This could mean that in the beginning he is an enemy and an ally at the end. While the trailer, doesn’t give too much away about the plot, I’m looking forward to see how the story plays out.
We also get a glimpse of Riri Williams, a.k.a. Ironheart. She’s a teenage genius who created an iron suit that rivals Iron Man’s suit. She has her own series debuting on Disney+ next year.
The other elephant in the room is, who is the new Black Panther? From the trailer, we can see the new Black Panther is female. There are no indications of who it may be. Although there is much speculation on the internet. Looking at the trailer, she is as much of a badass as Boseman’s Black Panther.
The trailer looks amazing. The action looks epic Characters are fighting on the side of ships, in the air and hopefully under the sea. The emotional aspects introduced reveals that the movie will be much more than just another superhero movie. We lost an iconic actor suddenly and the movie will help all of us process his loss and move forward without forgetting about him. It reminds us that life is fleeting and we must live it to the fullest.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever arrives in theaters Nov 11, 2022.
