Black Panther: Wakanda Forever was always a highly anticipated movie. It was the sequel to the highly popular and beloved original, but it took another meaning as a tribute to Wakanda King T’Challa.
Ever since the devastating passing of Chadwick Boseman, we’ve wondered how this will affect the upcoming Marvel movie. Last night during the studio’s San Diego Comic-Con Hall H presentation, they dropped the teaser trailer.
With my hand on my heart, as someone who isn’t an MCU fan, I can say this is the best trailer Marvel Studios has ever released.
It gave us everything. Action, hints to the story, the utterly stunning Autumn Durald Arkapaw cinematography and most importantly, the focus of the movie are going to be the women.
Letitia Wright’s Shuri, Nakia played by Lupita Nyong’o, and Okoye and Ayo played by Danai Gurira and Florence Kasumba, respectively, are now the protectors of this great kingdom, now Black Panther isn’t around.
However, Angela Bassett as T’Challa’s mother, Ramonda, has the biggest impact and will no doubt steal the movie as Queen of Wakanda. I’ve even say an early Best Supporting Actress nomination during the 2023 awards season.
This is based on one line she says in the trailer in front of possibly a rival tribe or the UN in her kingdom, as the trailer shows her country and facilities being attacked.
“I am Queen of the most powerful nation in the world, and my entire family is gone. Have I not given everything?” delivers a powerful Ramonda.
The trailer was building for me with the wonderful use of music of Bob Marley’s No Woman, No Cry, sung beautifully by Nigerian artist Tems, leading to Alright by Kendrick Lamar, and they mesh so well! But when we got to that line and heard the pain in Bassett’s voice, it got to me and made me cry.
Under director Ryan Coolger, it feels like an actual movie, unlike most MCU flicks, which are greenscreen/CGI heavy. I felt the sun on my face, the clearest of the water, the whiteness of the snow, everything. Everything was shot incredibly by Arkapaw (I highly recommend another film she DP’d, Teen Spirit) to the point it might be the prettiest Marvel movie ever.
Meanwhile, this Black Panther movie will also see the introduction of Namor and Atlantis, and not to be confused with Aquaman, these Atlantians are Aztec/Mayan.
I’m fascinated to learn how they went from one of the most potent cultures on land countries ago to living in the water. It’ll be interesting if they recreate MCU moments from their point of view as we head to a Wakanda vs Atlantis war.
The film will also be our introduction to Dominique Thorne’s Riri Williams before we head into her Ironheart Disney+ series.
Finally, we get a glimpse of a woman in the new Black Panther and it’ll be interesting who is behind the helmet. I fully expect that to be a third-act reveal.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever releases in cinemas on November 11.
The Bear Cave 
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