Marvel Studios / The Walt Disney Company
BLACK PANTHER
Starring Chadwick Boseman (T’Challa), Michael B. Jordan (N’Jadaka / Erik Stevens / Killmonger), Lupita Nyong’o (Nakia), Danai Gurira (Okoye), Martin Freeman (Everett Ross), Letitia Wright (Shuri), Winston Duke (M’Baku), Angela Basset (Ramonda), Forest Whitaker (Zuri), and Andy Serkis (Ulysses Klaue) with a special appearance by Stan Lee and a post-credits scene featuring Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes / The White Wolf
Directed by Ryan Coogler
Produced by Kevin Feige
Written by Ryan Coogler and Joe Robert Cole
Music By Ludwig Goransson
Distributed by Walt Disney Pictures
Run Time: 2 hours and 14 minutes
World Premier: January 29, 2018, in Hollywood, California
Opening Weekend Box Office: $202 million (North America)
Worldwide Box Office: $1.3 billion
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 96%
Nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards
Marvel Studios / The Walt Disney Company
Memorable Black Panther Quotes
“Plugging in characters like The Black Panther [in Captain America: Civil War] made sense because the narrative was asking for a third-party character who was as powerful and as present as Steve Rogers and Tony Stark who could carry a third storyline. And that’s not something you would give to a character that wasn’t interesting. You’d give it to somebody like T’Challa, like The Black Panther, who people will really be compelled by … I think Chadwick [Boseman] was very instrumental in building how this guy moves in the Black Panther suit, how he moves in everyday life. And all those components help to build a really compelling portrait.” – Nate Moore
“[The Black Panther] just kept coming up in vacations and dreams. And there were certain people that kept telling me that I should play the role. One particular guy had a Black Panther comic book put inside my trailer while I was shooting a movie in Australia. It was a comic book he had since he was a kid, and he was like, ‘I want you to have this. I feel like you’re gonna play this character.’ I guess he was prophetic.” – Chadwick Boseman
“I always wanted there to be very clear references to the Continent of Africa. Details in every way. Whether it be language, movement, fighting – even the suit, there are little hints of African masks or symbols of Africa inside it. We talked about all of those things, and they listened. That’s the thing about working with [Marvel Studios] is that they listen. They listen to what your concerns are and try to work with you.” – Chadwick Boseman
“[Ryan Coogler] was interested in the macro things that we were interested in, like what it means to be a King of this Nation. And what does that mean that they’re hyper-advanced and wealthy, but they don’t deal with the outside world? That seems like a dichotomy you want to explore. There’s a racial politic to the movie that he brought to it that’s very distinctly his own and I think is really interesting. It’s where we are as a country. It just feels really relevant. And it feels super authentic, because it’s something that Ryan has lived.” – Nate Moore discussing the unique vision that Ryan Coogler brought to Black Panther.
“I thought [Captain America: Civil War] was great. I thought it was really interesting. I had really never seen anything like it as a comic book fan. And I’m like, a fan. I was impressed by it. Like, I was really, really impressed by it. I was emotionally moved by the twist, too. I loved how [Black] Panther spoke. I loved the scene when he and John [Kani] spoke in Xhosa. I never heard that language before. I’m thinking ‘Did they invent Wakandan?’ I talked to them about it after I watched it, and they said ‘No, that’s a South African language.’ And at the time, I had never been to Africa.” – Ryan Coogler
“… Kevin [Feige] was honest and up front: There’s gonna be some stuff that Panther’s gotta do. He gotta look cool in the suit. And he was like, I want this movie to have a predominantly black cast. I want my kids, who are young and white, to point to this African dude and say, ‘I want to be just like that.’ I remember being moved by that. And then, them just being who they are, saying, ‘And we want you to bring you to this.’ And that meant a lot.” – Ryan Coogler
“I feel like I can call myself African, even though, you know, for thirty-years of my life, I had never been. Which is like, mad profound but also simple. That trip [to Africa] … changed me. I couldn’t have made [Black Panther] without having taken that trip … That’s where I found T’Challa. And I found Erik Killmonger.” – Ryan Coogler
“[Black Panther] was one of the hardest movies that we ever did from a production standpoint. And it was a movie where the crew really left it all on the field, as it were. So, wrap was a celebration. It felt like you had just survived a [battle], you know what I mean? And everybody was sad to be done but also excited to have survived.” – Nate Moore
“The quality of the film. The statement that it made. The cultural significance. Defying the skeptics about a movie like that working. And being at its premiere was certainly a top five, maybe a top three moment in my tenure as C.E.O.” – Bob Iger praising Black Panther.
“I grew up on the Continent [of Africa]. I grew up without any representation of myself. We watched only American movies. And American movies are the movies that the world watches. You really look at these heroic movies as your standard of what heroism looks like, especially in a child’s imaginative mind. If you don’t see anything that looks like yourself, it starts to affect you. That’s the most important thing – the children. The little kids that will look at this screen and see heroes of their own skin color. To me, being an African, knowing that’s gonna happen not just for African American children, but also for children on the Continent – because we’re gonna be speaking African tongues, and we’re representing an African story – I mean, that’s everything.” – Danai Gurira
Chadwick Boseman
(1976-2020)
REST IN POWER
On August 28, 2020, actor Chadwick Boseman passed away following a private 4-year battle with colon cancer. Chadwick was only 43-years old. The news of Boseman’s death hit the Marvel Studios team and the MCU fan community extremely hard, as he was one of the most beloved and inspirational performers within the fandom. On July 20, 2019, at Marvel Studios’ landmark 10th San Diego Comic Con presentation, a sequel to Black Panther was confirmed to be in active development by Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige. On August 24, 2019, at the D-23 Expo in Anaheim, California, Feige announced a release date of May 6, 2022, for the sequel, and confirmed that Ryan Coogler would be returning to direct the film. Boseman was of course expected to star in Black Panther II as T’Challa / The Black Panther and on December 10, 2020, during the Marvel Studios’ Disney Investors Day Presentation on Disney+, Kevin Feige conformed that in honor of Chadwick, the role of T’Challa would never be recast by Marvel Studios.
On May 3, 2021, the sequel for Black Panther II was announced as Black Panther: Wakanda Forever via a Marvel Studios Phase Four Preview trailer to celebrate Marvel Studios’ return to theaters following a 1-year hiatus brought on by the COVID-19 Coronavirus Pandemic.
Following Chadwick Boseman’s death, Marvel Studios altered its opening montage for viewings of the Black Panther film on Disney+, making it over to include images and scenes involving the late, great Chadwick Boseman.
“Chadwick’s passing is absolutely devastating. He was our T’Challa, our Black Panther, and our dear friend. Each time he stepped on set, he radiated charisma and joy, and each time he appeared on screen, he created something truly indelible. He embodied a lot of amazing people in his work, and nobody was better at bringing great men to life. He was as smart and kind and powerful and strong as any person he portrayed. Now he takes his place alongside them as an icon for the ages. The Marvel Studios family deeply mourns his loss, and we are grieving tonight with his family.” – Kevin Feige’s statement regarding the death of Chadwick Boseman.
“Our hearts are broken, and our thoughts are with Chadwick Boseman’s family. Your legacy will live on forever. Rest in Peace.” – Marvel Studios’ statement on Twitter regarding the death of Chadwick Boseman.
“We are all heartbroken by the tragic loss of Chadwick Boseman – an extraordinary talent, and one of the most gentle and giving souls I have ever met. He brought enormous strength, dignity, and depth to his groundbreaking role of Black Panther; shattering myths and stereotypes, becoming a long-awaited hero to millions around the world, and inspiring us all to dream bigger and demand more than the status quo. We mourn all that he was, as well as everything he was destined to become.” – Bob Iger’s statement regarding the death of Chadwick Boseman.
Marvel Studios / The Walt Disney Company
Fun Black Panther Facts
The Black Panther was the first black superhero to ever appear in Marvel Comics, or any mainstream comic books at all for that matter. The character was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby for Marvel Comics, debuting in Fantastic Four # 52 in July of 1966.
The first MCU reference to Black Panther / Wakanda actually took place all the way back in 2010, in Marvel Studios’ Iron Man 2. In the scene near the end of the film when Samuel L. Jackson’s Nick Fury is reviewing The Black Widow’s assessment of Robert Downey Jr’s Tony Stark for The Avengers Initiative, on the map behind them, a portion of Africa is highlighted, meaning it is of interest to S.H.I.E.L.D. That highlighted section is Wakanda. Wakanda was next alluded to in 2011’s Captain America: The First Avenger when Vibranium was introduced, referred to by Dominic Cooper’s Howard Stark as the “Strongest metal on Earth.” The first time the word Wakanda was audibly spoken within in the MCU was in 2015’s Avengers: Age of Ultron by Mark Ruffalo’s Bruce Banner.
A film based on Black Panther was formally announced by Marvel Studios on October 28, 2014, at the impromptu Phase Three Slate reveal held at the El Capitan theater in Los Angeles, California. It was there where Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige introduced 37-year-old actor Chadwick Boseman as the man that would portray T’Challa / The Black Panther wihtin the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Boseman joined Feige, Chris Evans, and Robert Downey Jr on stage and was announced for a feature part in Captain America: Civil War, which would release on May 6, 2016. Boseman would then star in a Black Panther solo film, announced for a November 3, 2017, release. Four months after the Phase Three Slate reveal, Marvel Studios would announce a deal with Sony Pictures to bring Spider-Man into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Spider-Man would also make his MCU debut in Civil War with an ensuing solo film set within the MCU. The addition of Spider-Man to the Phase Three Slate provoked Marvel Studios to push Black Panther to February 16, 2018.
On January 11, 2016, Marvel Studios announced the hiring of Ryan Coogler to direct Black Panther. Coogler would be the very first person of color to direct a Marvel Studios film.
Black Panther was the first comic book movie to ever to feature a black lead and a predominantly black cast.
Marvel Studios / The Walt Disney Company
Black Panther commenced filming on January 9, 2017. Filming took place in Atlanta, Georgia, and in South Korea. Black Panther wrapped filming on April 19, 2017. Most of Black Panther‘s shoot coincided with the shooting of Marvel Studios’ Avengers: Infinity War / Avengers: Endgame.
In Black Panther, the location for the Oakland apartment building was shot in Atlanta, Georgia, near the church where the late Doctor Martin Luther King Junior is buried. During production, King’s daughter visited the set, shook everyone’s hand, and blessed the project.
In 2020, a Marvel Studios MCU tie-in book titled The Wakanda Files: A Technological Exploration of The Avengers and Beyond was released written by Troy Benjamin. The book revealed that the Nation of Wakanda had been keeping tabs on all of the goings on within the Marvel Cinematic Universe since at least World War II and the creation of the world’s first two Super Soldiers (Johann Schmidt and Steve Rogers). Wakanda went on to track the activities of the Strategic Scientific Reserve, Howard Stark, Peggy Carter, S.H.I.E.L.D., the United States Military, Hydra, The Winter Soldier, Hank Pym, the Deaths of Howard and Maria Stark, Stark Industries, Tony Stark, Hammer Industries, Bruce Banner / The Hulk, Emil Blonsky / The Abomination, Samuel Sterns / The Leader, Ivan Vanko, Hammer Industries, James Rhodes / War Machine, Mjolnir, Thor, the Asgardian Destroyer, Hawkeye, The Black Widow,, the Tesseract, Loki, the Cosmic Scepter, the Chitauri, The Avengers, A.I.M, Arnim Zola, The Maximoff Twins, The Falcon, Ant-Man, The Wasp, JARVIS / THE VISION, FRIDAY, ULTRON, and even Spider-Man (courtesy of Tony Stark). Wakanda obtained this information through their rich and expansive spy network in the United States and beyond with Shuri carefully studying the information on behalf of her Nation as Wakanda entered a new age in terms of its relationship with the outside world.
T’Challa’s nano suit that is presented to him by his sister Shuri not only reflects her mental brilliance, but also Wakanda’s advanced technology. Similar technology was seen previously in James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy films via an earpiece worn by Star-Lord that contains his mask. T’Challa’s suit is likewise able to fit within a necklace that he wears around his neck which is shaped like a tooth. T’Challa fought on the side of Tony Stark’s pro-registration team of Avengers in Captain America: Civil War, and it can be assumed that T’Challa shared this technology with Stark at some point, as Iron Man is seen boasting the same sort of tech in 2018’s Avengers: Infinity War, as his latest suit is held within an Arc Reactor that he’s had installed in his chest; fueled by nanotechnology.
Erik Killmonger’s Scarification was created through prosthetic makeup. It took nearly two-and-a-half hours to apply the 80-90 pieces of individually sculpted silicone molds to Michael B. Jordan’s body.
Marvel Studios / The Walt Disney Company
In Black Panther, Chadwick Boseman’s T’Challa tells Anthony Serkis’ Ulysses Klaue “Every breath you take is mercy from me.” In the Marvel Comics. T’Challa / The Black Panther spoke these same words to Namor the Submariner in Jonathan Hickman’s New Avengers series.
Several of the suits used in Black Panther were lifted straight from the Marvel comics including T’ Chaka’s uniform (from Black Panther: Man Without Fear), the nano suits (from Black Panther by Ta-Nehisi Coates), and Killmonger’s black and gold suit (from Black Panther by Christopher Priest). The horned mask that Michael B. Jordan’s Erik Killmonger wears in Black Panther is based on a similar mask Killmonger donned in the Marvel comics in Black Panther by Reginald Hudlin. The mask was also worn by the demon Mephisto during Christopher Priest’s Black Panther run.
Black Panther co-creator Stan Lee makes his 18th MCU cameo in Black Panther. Stan can be seen during the Casino Scene.
In Black Panther, N’Jadaka plans to send Wakandan weapons to London, New York, and Hong Kong. These three specific locations are notable within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Each of these locations boast a Sanctum sacred to the Masters of the Mystic Arts. Each of these locations have also been attacked by otherworldly beings: New York (invade by Loki and The Chitauri / Leviathan in The Avengers), London (invaded by The Dark Elves in Thor: The Dark World), and Hong Kong (invaded by Dormammu in Doctor Strange). This could hint to the true knowledge that Erik Killmonger boasts as a master and strategic strategist.
“I can try to heal you.” (T’Challa) … “Why? So you can lock me up? Just bury me in the Ocean with my ancestors who jumped from ships ’cause they knew death was better than bondage.” (Killmonger) – Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige referred to this exchange between T’Challa and Killmonger near the end of Black Panther as one of the best lines he had ever read and encouraged Ryan Coogler to build the film around it.
San Diego Comic Con 2017
On July 22, 2017, Marvel Studios presented what was its ninth panel at San Diego Comic Con. Black Panther was a big part of Marvel Studios’ presentation. Joining Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige on stage were Director Ryan Coogler, Chadwick Boseman, Lupita Nyong’o, Michael B. Jordan, Danai Gurira, Forest Whitaker, Daniel Kaluuya, Andy Serkis, Winston Duke, and Letitia Wright.
On February 9, 2018, Black Panther: The Album was released by Interscope Records. The album featured new songs featuring Kendrick Lamar, who also produced the album. Black Panther: The Album debuted at # 1 on the Billboard 200 charts, selling 154,000 units in its first week of release. Three singles from the album emerged: All the Stars (by Kendrick Lamar and SZA), King’s Dead (by Jay Rock, Kendrick Lamar, Future, and James Blake), and Pray for Me (by The Weekend and Kendrick Lamar).
Black Panther was the second highest-grossing film of 2018. It finished behind only Marvel Studios’ Avengers: Infinity War. At the time of its release, Black Panther was the third highest-grossing Marvel Studios film of all-time, behind only The Avengers and Avengers: Age of Ultron, and it was the fifth Marvel Studios film to gross at least $1 billion worldwide after The Avengers, Iron Man 3, Avengers: Age of Ultron, and Captain America: Civil War. Black Panther was the number-one film in North America for five-consecutive weeks (a Marvel Studios record), and the highest-grossing film of all-time that was released in February; the month during which Black History is celebrated in the United States. At the time of its release, Black Panther was the eighth highest-grossing film of all-time.
On June 16, 2018, at the MTV Movie Awards, Black Panther took home five Awards: Movie of the Year, Best Actor (Chadwick Boseman), Best Hero (Chadwick Boseman), and Best Villain (Michael B. Jordan). On June 24, 2018, at the BET Awards, Black Panther won the Award for Best Film and Chadwick Boseman won the Award for Best Actor for his performance as T’Challa in Black Panther. On June 27, 2018, Black Panther claimed five Saturn Awards: Best Comic-to-Motion Picture Release, Best Supporting Actress in a Film (Danai Gurira), Best Film Director (Ryan Coogler), Best Film Production Design (Hannah Beachler), and Best Film Make-Up (Ken Diaz and Joel Harlow). On August 12, 2018, at the Teen Choice Awards, Black Panther won three Awards: Choice Sci-Fi Movie, Choice Sci-Fi Movie Actress (Letitia Wright), and Choice Villain (Michael B. Jordan).
Kendrick Lamar
On October 9, 2018, at the American Music Awards, Black Panther: The Album won the Award for Favorite Soundtrack. On November 11, 2018, at the People’s Choice Awards, Chadwick Boseman won the Award for Male Movie Star of the Year while Danai Gurira won the Award Action Movie Star of the Year. On December 3, 2018, the Washington DC Area Film Critics Association honored Jay Hart and Hannah Beachler with the Award for Best Art Direction. On December 8, 2018, at the Chicago Film Critics Awards, Michael B. Jordan won the Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Killmonger in Black Panther. On December 9, 2018, the San Francisco Film Critics Circle honored Michael B. Jordan with the Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Killmonger in Black Panther. Hannah Beachler won the Award for Best Production Design. On December 11, 2018, Black Panther was honored by the African American Film Critics Association with Award wins in the category of Best Picture, Best Director (Ryan Coogler), and Best Song (All the Stars by Kendrick Lamar and SZA). Black Panther was furthermore honored by the Women’s Film Critics Circle on this same date in the categories of Best Action Female Heroes and Best Equality of the Sexes.
On December 16, 2018, Hannah Beachler was honored by the St. Louis Film Critics Association with the Award for Best Production Design. On December 17, 2018, the Seattle Film Critics Society named Michael B. Jordan’s Killmonger the Villain of the Year and Ruth E. Carter won the Award for Best Costume Design. On January 2, 2019, the Online Film Critics Society honored Ryan Coogler with a Special Achievement Award for Black Panther‘s Critical and Box Office Appeal. Michael B. Jordan was also named Best Supporting Actor for his role as Killmonger in Black Panther, and Ruth E. Carter won the Award for Best Costume Design. On January 4, 2019, Black Panther was named one of the Top-10 Films of the Year by the American Film Institute. On January 10, 2019, the Alliance of Women Film Journalists honored Sarah Finn with the Award for Best Ensemble Cast – Casting Director, and Rachel Morrison (Outstanding Achievement by a Woman in the Film Industry).
On January 12, 2019, Hannah Beachler was honored by the Los Angeles Film Critics Association who the Award for Best Production Design. On January 13, 2019, at the Critics’ Choice Movie Awards, Hannah Beachler and Jay Hart won the Award for Best Art Direction, Ruth E. Carter won the Award for Best Costume Design, and Black Panther also claimed the Award for Best Visual Effects.
On January 19, 2019, the Producers Guild of America honored Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige with the Award for Best Theatrical Motion Picture.
On January 27, 2019, at the Screen Actors Guild Awards, Black Panther claimed the Awards for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture and Outstanding Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture.
Ruth E. Carter – Courtesy of Getty Images
On February 4, 2019, Black Panther made history as the first Marvel Studios film to ever be nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards. Though the film lost-out on that prestigious honor, Black Panther did win three Oscars: Best Costume Design (Ruth E. Carter), Best Original Score (Ludwig Goransson), and Best Production Design (Hannah Beachler and Jay Hart).
On February 7, 2019, Black Panther claimed eights Awards at the Black Reel Awards: Outstanding Motion Picture, Outstanding Ensemble, Outstanding Actor (Chadwick Boseman), Outstanding Director (Ryan Coogler), Outstanding Supporting Actor (Michael B. Jordan), Outstanding Original Song (All the Stars by Kendrick Lamar and SZA), Outstanding Breakthrough Performance Male (Winston Duke), and Outstanding Breakthrough Performance Female (Letitia Wright).
On February 10, 2019, at the Grammy Awards, Kendrick Lamar, Jay Rock, Future, and James Blake won the Award for Best Rap Performance for the King’s Dead song that was featured on Black Panther: The Album. Ludwig Goransson was also honored with the Award for Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media.
On March 30, 2019, Black Panther took home 9 Awards at the NAACP Image Awards: Outstanding Motion Picture, Outstanding Ensemble Cast in a Motion Picture, Outstanding Directing in a Motion Picture (Ryan Coogler), Outstanding Writing in a Motion Picture (Ryan Coogler and Joe Robert Cole), Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture (Chadwick Boseman), Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture (Danai Gurira), Outstanding Breakthrough Performance in a Motion Picture (Letitia Wright), Outstanding Duo, Group, or Collaboration (All the Stars by Kendrick Lamar and SZA), and Outstanding Soundtrack / Compilation: Black Panther: The Album.
Marvel Studios / The Walt Disney Company
My Black Panther Review
Black Panther was a cultural phenomenon that garnered widespread critical acclaim. It is far and away the most critically honored motion picture in Marvel Studios history. The film was warmly embraced by the African American community in the United States where Black Panther amassed an incredible $700 million, emerging stateside as the number-one film of 2018, out-grossing Avengers: Infinity War! Everything from the music to the script, to the acting, to the costumes, to the production design, to the make-up, to its groundbreaking high level of diversity and representation within its genre made Black Panther great. This film was the talk of the industry for a variety of reasons, and I believe it was worth every bit of the praise it received!
In my personal praise of this film, I have to start with Chadwick Boseman. What an incredible performance he gave us in Black Panther! The character had been perfectly established in Captain America: Civil War as a loyal, driven, and noble Prince who lives an impassioned life in which nothing comes before his family or his people. Chadwick’s arc in that film revolved around his quest for vengeance and ultimately his refusal to allow that quest to consume him as it had the other heroes that he’d become involved with during the film.
Black Panther picks up directly after Civil War and this film continues T’Challa’s’ journey as he returns home and prepares to claim the Wakandan Throne. From its earliest scenes, Black Panther lets us see a different side of T’Challa than we were able to see in Civil War. We get to see him smile and joke around; be kind and humble, and even a little bit timid. We also, through him, get to bask in the wonder and awe of Wakanda! Regardless of whether you were on “Team Cap” or “Team Iron Man”, T’Challa is completely likable here, and that is a very important aspect of this film as the plot develops.
With T’Challa firmly established as the hero of our story, we get to the epic battle between he and M’Baku at Warrior Falls! This was one of the most unique and visually stunning fights in MCU history! It’s raw and gritty in terms of T’Challa being stripped of his enhanced abilities and wearing very little clothing against his much larger challenger, but at the same time, it is absolutely beautiful with the waters and the array of colors worn by the people surrounding them. Chadwick Boseman and Winston Duke delivered a fight that was impossible to take my eyes off, and the finish went even further to enhance T’Challa’s heroism, as he pleads with M’Baku to submit rather than be killed, and M’Baku complies in what is a wonderful moment!
The celebration of T’Challa as King of Wakanda then ensues and he regains his enhanced abilities via the Heart-Shaped Herb, and visits his late father on the Ancestral Plane, which is a gorgeous scene visually and emotionally. Chadwick Boseman’s passion bleeds through his entire performance in these scenes, and his multi-faceted acting skills are highlighted during both his conversation with Nakia and during his playful scenes with his sister Shuri; both of which are two of my favorite scenes in this film.
Marvel Studios / The Walt Disney Company
Business picks up for the King of Wakanda when he targets the elusive Ulysses Klaue (who we met previously in Avengers: Age of Ultron portrayed by Andy Serkis). Klaue is Wakanda’s most wanted fugitive, and King T’Chaka never managed to bring him to justice. One of T’Challa’s first goals as King is therefore to do that very thing.
T’Challa, Nakia, and Okoye unite and venture to South Korea to apprehend Klaue. After getting into the highly secured Casino, T’Challa meets up with CIA operative Everett Ross (who we met previously in Captain America: Civil War portrayed by Martin Freeman). Boseman is amazing here, as he treats Ross’ threats to stay out of his way as if they are cute! It’s that same kind of expression that he gave in Civil War during Florence Kasumba’s Ayo’s “Move, or you will be moved” scene with Scarlett Johansson’s Black Widow. It’s this sly smirk, this unsettling calm, and an unspoken confidence that you can see in his eyes that is really intriguing and I loved that aspect which he brought to the character.
The situation at the Casino turns violent once Okoye is made and this leads to an amazing car-chase scene as the Wakandans get a really cool technological assist from Shuri back in Wakanda as they pursue Klaue. And on my goodness, Klaue is SUCH a weaselly scum bag here screaming for mercy and trying to provoke T’Challa into publicly assaulting him. This is more of the T’Challa we saw in Civil War, the no-nonsense, vengeance-driven person on a quest for justice. He is very different here than he was fighting M’Baku. He wants to kill Klaue right then and there, but he knows he can’t, and a cooler head prevails and Klaue is taken into custody and questioned by Ross.
Klaue ultimately escapes however, after being broken out by Killmonger. Ross is critically injured during the chaos, prompting T’Challa to return home without Klaue, and with an outsider. This sets the stage for dissension within the Wakandan hierarchy, as even T’Challa’s best friend feels he has already failed his Nation as King. This will come to a head with the arrival of N’Jadaka / Erik Stevens / Killmonger.
Killmonger is a wonderfully written character in this film and Michael B. Jordan portrayed the role with a level of conviction and raw passion that is rarely seen in cinema. We first see him through the eyes of Ulysses Klaue, a partner in crime for Klaue that shares his fascination with Vibranium. Unbeknownst to Klaue however, there is far more to Killmonger than meets the eye. Killmonger is a master strategist and an accomplished killer. He is a highly decorated Navy Seal, and he is a Prince of Wakanda. Jordan exudes a very different kind of charisma than Boseman’s T’Challa, but it’s just as intriguing and nearly just as endearing.
Marvel Studios / The Walt Disney Company
We see the lengths Killmonger is willing to go to through his casual killing of his girlfriend, which is followed by his slaying of Klaue himself. Killmonger then takes the corpse of Klaue to Wakanda, having done what T’Challa had failed to do. Killmonger then drops the bombshell that he has just as much a claim to the Wakandan throne as T’Challa does, as the son of the late N’Jobu, who’d been murdered by his brother: King T’Chaka. As a viewer, you totally see where Killmonger is coming from and why he feels justified in challenging T’Challa, and that is expressed no more greatly than it is through T’Challa’s eyes. T’Challa finds himself disgusted by his father’s actions, and he sees in Killmonger the very same emotions and convictions that drove him during Civil War. T’Challa understands and worse yet, T’Challa can relate, and this serves as a dooming albatross around his neck with which he enters his showdown against Killmonger.
T’Challa vs Killmonger at Warrior Falls is my favorite battle in Black Panther. It’s far grittier than T’Challa’s fight against M’Baku, and it’s far more disturbing as well. The threat that Killmonger poses here is clear when we see the scars that he has marked himself with that represent each person he has killed. Killmonger isn’t just a killer, he’s a proud killer and he has no issue with brutally killing T’Chaka’s son. This fight is majestically violent, and it is not about mercy nor celebration. This is a fight about destiny and heritage and T’Challa’s own guilt and reservations allow this fight to be one-sided as Killmonger viciously dominates his cousin (and murders Zuri) en route to tossing T’Challa over the side of Warrior Falls, presumably killing him. Killmonger has seized the Wakandan throne, and Michael B. Jordan was SO very good in this scene and the scenes before, that he had some people actually cheering for him to win!
As King, Killmonger receives the power of The Black Panther and ventures to the Ancestral Plane where he encounters his late father N’Jobu. This is a haunting and disturbing experience for Killmonger and he emerges from the sequence with renewed malice, ordering Wakanda’s full stock of the Heart-Shaped Herb to be destroyed. Killmonger’s plan to declare war on the world in the name of the oppressed is then revealed while a critically wounded T’Challa is found to be in the custody of M’Baku. Via the Heart-Shaped Herb, T’Challa is nursed back to health and receives the powers of The Black Panther once more, but not before returning to the Ancestral Plane and lashing out against his late father T’Chaka for the error of his ways, knowing full well that Killmonger was a monster of T’Chaka’s own creation, and vowing to remove Wakanda from its centuries-long stint of secrecy and anonymity.
This sets the stage for a showdown between T’Challa and Killmonger with the Dora Milaje and the Border Tribe caught in the middle of the conflict. M’Baku soon leads the Jabari Tribe into the battle in defense of T’Challa, while Everett Ross, Shuri, and Nakia make their own stands in allegiance to T’Challa. This is a great battle with armored rhino’s and plenty of explosions. It ends with T’Challa claiming victory and winning back the throne.
This leads into what is my favorite scene from Black Panther. This is such a well-written, well-acted, and tragic sequence as T’Challa offers to try and heal N’Jadaka from the mortal wound he’d just suffered by T’Challa’s hand, only for Killmonger to adamantly resist with the words “Bury me in the Ocean, with my ancestors that jumped from ships, because they knew death was better than bondage.” Anyone who knows the history of African Americans in the United States and all that they have had to overcome as a people and as a culture knows how powerful those words are, and they summed up the drive, the ambition, and the passion that fueled Erik Killmonger as a character. This scene was made even more beautiful and moving by the fact that T’Challa took Killmonger to the side of a cliff overlooking Wakanda to watch the sunset that his father had spoken to him of when he was younger. Memorable scenes like this one are what made Black Panther such a special, monumental, and important film to so many people; a film that made a statement that transcended Hollywood and touched people of different races, colors, and cultures. Of all the character deaths that we have seen in the MCU, this is easily the most powerful.
Marvel Studios / The Walt Disney Company
If not for the remarkable performance by Chadwick Boseman in Black Panther, Michael B. Jordan’s Erik Killmonger would have stolen the film, and may have even come out of it looking like the true hero of the story, but like T’Challa in Civil War, Killmonger was consumed with vengeance and he lacked the honor and he lacked the nobility of King T’Challa, who ushered Wakanda into a new era while honoring Killmonger’s legacy by bringing Wakanda out of the shadows and vowing to share Wakanda’s advanced technologies with the world and founding the Wakandan International Outreach Center on the very grounds where T’Chaka murdered his brother N’Jobu. It was King T’Challa’s sincerity and his willingness to empathize with others and look far beyond his own perceived glory to see what is truly best for not just his people, but for the world as a whole, that makes him the hero of this story and his performance will forever live as one of the best the comic book movie genre has ever seen.
There are plenty of awesome contributions and memorable characters beyond T’Challa and Killmonger in Black Panther, namely from the women in the film, namely Danai Gurira, Letitia Wright, and Lupita Nyong’o. I thought Letitia Wright was wonderful as Shuri! She had great chemistry with everyone that she shared scenes with, and I loved the playful and defiant spirit that she brought to her role. Most of the times that I laughed during this film were due to something that Shuri said or did, and I came out of this movie wanting to see much more of her! Danai Gurira was likewise great as Okoye. She was the leader of the Dora Milaje, which was very well executed. The Dora Milaje was comprised of the bald, bold, and most badass warriors in Wakanda, and I loved their cohesiveness, their fighting style, and their loyalty to the throne. Okoye was a character that boasted a very dry sense of humor, and this made her standout in several scenes, but her best scenes were when she was screaming “Wakanda Forever” and taking her aggression out on some poor opponent. She was great! Lupita Nyong’o was a very compelling character as Nakia. Her role was far more than nearly serving as T’Challa’s love interest. She was both a capable spy and warrior, but most importantly, she represented the philosophical other side of Wakanda, politically speaking. She loved her Nation, and she served her King, but she resented Wakanda’s stance in world politics and longed to see Wakanda take a level of accountability that it had refused to take for centuries. Nakia was a brave and likable character that balanced T’Challa and grounded him as not only his soulmate, but as his conscience. She is another character that I look forward to seeing more of in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
I can’t close this review out without mentioning Winston Duke and how great he was as M’Baku, and I have to commend the Marvel Studios team for making one of their most beautiful movies in both its emotional depth and cinematography. I saw Black Panther on President’s Day with my wife and children, and we sat in a sold-out, predominantly black theater, and while I always try to not view things through a racial lens, I have to admit that it was very moving to see so many people of color be so enthusiastic about a Marvel Studios film and a genre that has not traditionally been marketed to them. It was a wonderful experience and hopefully, the best is yet to come!
As for my thoughts on Chadwick Boseman, if you’ve read this review, you know I was a fan. His death hit me hard and there aren’t words to express what a loss this was for Marvel Studios. Chadwick left a hole that can never be filled, and I applaud Marvel Studios’ decision to not recast T’Challa. There is a Black Panther sequel coming soon and the legacy of The Black Panther as a character will live on. This is a very important Marvel Hero and I fully support the decision of having someone else take on the mantle of The Black Panther, for this is a character that needs to live on and continue inspiring people. Of course, the loss of Chadwick goes far beyond the triviality of movies and superheroes, but people outside of this fandom may never really understand just how important he was to the genre and how much he inspired so many people. His family and friends suffered a far greater loss than we did as fans, but he will nonetheless be missed and forever celebrated by us as a real-life hero.
Ryan Coogler
Highlights of Black Panther:
Chadwick Boseman is T’Challa / The Black Panther
Michael B. Jordan as Killmonger / N’Jadaka
Immense Cultural Impact
Letitia Wright as Shuri
Lupita Nyong’o as Nakia
Danai Gurira as Okoye
Beautiful Imagery and Cinematography
Costumes and Makeup
Warrior Falls Fights
Scenes on the Ancestral Plane
Winston Duke as M’Baku
Wakandan Technology
South Korea Battle
Wakanda Forever!
Post-Credits Scene featuring Bucky Barnes / The White Wolf
Marvel Studios / The Walt Disney Company
Notable MCU Concepts and Characters Introduced:
N’Jadaka / Erik Stevens / Killmonger. Shuri. Nakia. Okoye. Queen Mother Ramonda. Zuri. M’Baku. N’Jobu. W’Kabi. The Golden Tribe / The Panther Tribe. The Jabari tribe. The Border Tribe. The River Tribe. The Mining Tribe. The Merchant Tribe. The Wakandan International Outreach Center.
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