credit: Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
The anticipation for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is enormous.
Following the unfortunate passing of Chadwick Boseman, fans were wondering where the direction of the franchise was going forward. Boseman brought an undeniable charisma and star presence to the role of T’Challa that will surely be missed. However, one of the critical things is that Marvel opted not to recast the character at all. A movement was sparked over the situation, with even Derrick Boseman – Chadwick’s brother – stating to TMZ that the actor would’ve wanted the same thing as well.
Marvel has stood firm behind its decision, and when the studio finally released the first trailer, many people’s minds were at ease thanks to how amazing it looked. But, of course, another reason that Black Panther itself was so great was due to the talents of Ryan Coogler. The filmmaker has made substantial efforts, such as Fruitvale Station and Creed, so it isn’t much of a surprise that Black Panther: Wakanda Forever seems to be another excellent piece from the director. Based on the trailer, it will pay respects to Boseman and veer away from the traditional Marvel formula that seems to have more of an emotional and dark story.
With the story’s focus expanding, it should be no surprise that Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is a lengthy piece. The upcoming Marvel film will clock in at 2 hours and 41 minutes. This is the longest non-Avengers movie ever made. Interestingly enough, The Dark Knight’s runtime is 2 hours and 32-minutes, which is considered one of the best superhero films ever made. Part of the reasoning is likely due to the film addressing the passing of T’Challa and how the series will move forward, “The conversations were entirely about, yes, ‘What do we do next?” Feige said. “And how could the legacy of Chadwick – and what he had done to help Wakanda and the Black Panther become these incredible, aspirational, iconic ideas – continue? That’s what it was all about.” Coogler said at the San Diego Comic-Con (Transcript courtesy of IGN).
Kevin Feige also further explained Marvel’s decision to not recast T’Challa, despite an overwhelming response from fans who were okay with a new actor taking over the role, “It just felt like it was much too soon to recast,” said Marvel boss, Kevin Feige. “Stan Lee always said that Marvel represents the world, your window. And we talked about how, as extraordinary and fantastical as our characters and stories are, there’s a relatable and human element to everything we do. The world is still processing the loss of Chad. And Ryan [Coogler] poured that into the story.”
Credit: Black Panther
It’s understandable why Marvel opted not to recast the character so quickly, and it’s nice that the upcoming film will honor the character’s legacy while moving forward in the Black Panther universe. While business is business, there’s been too many times when characters on television suddenly changed without any rhyme or reason, and since Boseman brought so much to the role itself, the studio acknowledging his legacy within the MCU is, without a doubt, the brighter direction to go in. There are still so many questions that even Black Panther: Wakanda Forever might not be able to answer, but everything from the fantastic trailers to the incredible talent in front and behind the camera means that Black Panther is in good hands. Could it be better than its predecessor? We’ll find out in two months!
The upcoming film will focus on a vast cast that includes Letitia Wright’s Shuri, Angela Bassett’s Queen Ramonda, Winston Duke’s M’Baku, and Lupita Nyong’o’s Nakia. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is scheduled to be released on November 11, 2022.
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