What to expect from 'Black Panther: Wakanda Forever'
The first "Black Panther" film grossed over $1.3 billion. Following Chadwick Boseman's death, the storyline was changed, with female characters taking the lead.
The king is dead, long live the queen!
Following the death of Black Panther, aka T'Challa, national hero and King of Wakanda, the African kingdom is in turmoil. Queen Ramonda, wife of the late T'Challa, firmly holds the reins. She is played by Angela Bassett, as in the first "Black Panther" film.
Who will be the new Black Panther?
Who will take on the mantle of the Black Panther and protect the kingdom of Wakanda? There are different potential candidates for the role, including Shuri, played by Letitia Wright. As a designer, T'Challa's sister is responsible for the great technological edge that the fictional African country holds over the rest of the world.
Superheroines
"Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" focuses on these powerful women, and reveals which among them will don the black suit of the Black Panther. At the film premiere in London, they stood united in dazzling outfits: (from left) Florence Kasumba, Danai Gurira, Letitia Wright and Lupita Nyong'o.
Mourning Chadwick Boseman
They have big shoes to fill: In the first "Black Panther" film, which was released in 2018, the celebrated, multi-award winning actor Chadwick Boseman played the lead role. The actor tragically died from cancer in 2020 at the age of 43. There was widespread mourning following his death, with the family announcment of his passing on Twitter becoming the most-liked tweet in history.
A funeral in white
Director Ryan Coogler and the film producers decided they wouldn't replace Chadwick Boseman in the role of T'Challa. Instead, "Wakanda Forever" begins with the death of the king — and an accompanying mourning ceremony in which everyone wears white. That's why fans of the film are promoting the idea on TikTok to also wear white at screenings.
A new threat from the sea
But there is not much time for mourning. The threat facing the kingdom's women is great: King Namor, the ruler of a mysterious underwater nation, has his sights set on the kingdom and its inhabitants. Mexican actor Tenoch Huerta portrays Namor the Submariner.
Extravagant costumes
The evil king is supported by Mabel Cadena (center) as Namora, and Alex Livinalli as Attuma (left). As in the first "Black Panther" film, "Wakanda Forever" is characterized by its colorful, Afrofuturistic costumes. Costume designer Ruth E. Carter, who won an Oscar for her work, returns with "costumes that celebrate life," she told the Hollywood Reporter.
How successful will the sequel be?
As the first film starring a Black superhero — and almost all the other actors were Black too — "Black Panther" broke numerous box office records and remains one of the most successful movies ever made. Whether Disney will be as successful with "Wakanda Forever" remains to be seen. The much-anticipated film hits theaters in Germany on November 9, and two days later in the US.