Hello Ebi! Hello Fam!
I saw Black Panther: Wakanda Forever on Friday, which was everything I expected. It was poignant and full of power and majesty. The soundtrack of course, was killer! I will not share spoilers because it just came out. However, I will share my POV of the movie, the Black Panther universe, and some of the drama that occurred before the new film was released.
Our Beloved Chadwick
The first Black Panther came out in 2018. It was incredible on every level. I re-watched it how many times? So unexpectedly, when we lost our Black Panther, Chadwick Boseman, many of us mourned him like a family member. It was heartbreaking to know that we lost such an exceptional man and actor. Not to mention the strength it must have taken for him to power through, even while Cancer ravaged his body. The new saying is, “You have no excuse not to succeed in anything you want to do. Just look at Chadwick Boseman!”
Chadwick passed away when COVID was in full swing. Many of us wondered if the second movie would come to fruition. A number of issues emerged before and during Ryan Coogler’s film development. Letitia Wright, aka Shuri, rubbed many people wrong when she commented on the vaccine. Petitions that went out stated that she should be fired from the movie and not become the next Black Panther under any circumstances, even though Shuri had already taken the mantle in the comic book. She was also injured during production. Check out this timeline that broke down the film’s delays: https://www.vulture.com/2022/11/black-panther-2-release-date-delays-timeline.html
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Drama
It was implied that Marvel used Chadwick’s death to promote the film, and some felt his role should be recast. Black Panther was the first BLACK superhero to be recognized and respected globally. The late Mr. Boseman and the Black Panther franchise were an international phenomenon. It needed a future, and many believed a new actor should be brought in.
Marvel has dived feet-first into multidimensional (the Multiverse) storylines with Loki, Dr. Strange, Antman, Spiderman: Into the Spiderverse and Spiderman: No Way Home. There is no reason to believe that Black Panther could not return (perhaps as another version of himself) in the future—but not right now. It is almost like replacing Robert Downey, Jr.’s Iron Man with someone else. It’s hard to accept.
As we got closer to premiere day more rumors started, implying that Ryan Coogler was still making changes. Then the preview came out for the new movie, and it was awesome. I teared up and everything! I could not wait for November 11. Videos even went out on Tik Tok discussing the appropriate attire to wear to acknowledge the ancestors: https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTRxoP7vb/ You know I wore white!
No matter what, there will always be those who will “find fault” with what we do. Regardless of all the nonsense, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever was worth the entire two hours and forty-one minutes I spent in the theater. I will see it again, and if you haven’t already seen it, I implore you; what better way to acknowledge the mark that Mr. Boseman left on this world than to see this movie?
I hope you enjoy it as much as I did! If you are interested in reading my earlier content, please visit www.sharonlmitchell.com
Wakanda Forever!
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