Wesley Snipes planned to make a Black Panther film in 1992, but the project did not come to fruition. In September 2005, Marvel Studios listed a Black Panther film as one of ten films based on Marvel characters intended to be distributed byParamount Pictures.Mark Bailey was hired to write a script in January 2011.Black Panther was officially announced in October 2014, and Boseman made his first appearance as the character inCaptain America: Civil War (2016). Cole and Coogler had joined by then, with additional casting in May.Black Panther was the first Marvel Studios film with a Black director and a predominantly Black cast. Principal photography took place from January to April 2017 atEUE/Screen Gems Studios in theAtlanta metropolitan area, and inBusan, South Korea.
Black Panther premiered at theDolby Theatre in Los Angeles on January 29, 2018, and was released theatrically in the United States on February 16, as part ofPhase Three of the MCU. Critics praised its direction, writing, acting (particularly that of Boseman, Jordan, and Wright), costume design, production values, and soundtrack, but some criticized thevisual effects. Many critics considered the film to be one of the best in the MCU and it was noted for its cultural significance. TheNational Board of Review and theAmerican Film Institute namedBlack Panther one of the top-ten films of 2018. It grossed over $1.3 billion worldwide and broke numerous box office records, becoming the highest-grossing film directed by a Black filmmaker, theninth-highest-grossing film at the time of its release, thethird-highest-grossing film in the U.S. and Canada that year, and thesecond-highest-grossing film of 2018.
Black Panther was nominated for seven awards at the91st Academy Awards, winning three, and receivednumerous other accolades. It was the first superhero film to receive aBest Picture nomination, and the first MCU film to win an Academy Award. A sequel,Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, was released on November 11, 2022, with Wright taking over as the lead following Boseman's death in 2020, while a third film is in development. An animated series,Eyes of Wakanda, was released in August 2025 onDisney+.
Plot
Thousands of years ago, five African tribes warred over a meteorite containing the metalvibranium. One warrior ingests a "heart-shaped herb" affected by the metal and gains superhuman abilities, becoming the first "Black Panther". He unites all but the Jabari Tribe to form the nation ofWakanda. Over centuries, the Wakandans use vibranium to develop advanced technologies and isolate themselves from the world by posing as anunderdeveloped country. In 1992, Wakanda kingT'Chaka visits his brotherN'Jobu, who is working undercover inOakland, California. T'Chaka accuses N'Jobu of assisting black-market arms dealerUlysses Klaue with stealing vibranium from Wakanda. N'Jobu's partner reveals he isZuri, another undercover Wakandan, and confirms T'Chaka's suspicions.
In the present day, following T'Chaka's death,[a] his sonT'Challa returns to Wakanda to assume the throne. He andOkoye, leader of theDora Milaje, extract T'Challa's ex-loverNakia from an undercover assignment so she can attend his coronation ceremony with his motherRamonda and younger sisterShuri. At the ceremony, the Jabari Tribe's leaderM'Baku challenges T'Challa for the crown in ritual combat without the benefit of the heart-shaped herb. T'Challa defeats M'Baku when he persuades him to yield rather than die.
When Klaue and his accompliceErik Stevens steal a Wakandan artifact from a London museum, T'Challa's friend and Okoye's husbandW'Kabi urges him to bring Klaue back alive. T'Challa, Okoye, and Nakia travel toBusan, South Korea, where Klaue plans to sell the artifact toCIA agentEverett K. Ross. A firefight erupts, and Klaue attempts to flee but is caught by T'Challa, who reluctantly releases him to Ross's custody. Klaue tells Ross that Wakanda's international image is a front for a technologically advanced civilization. When Erik attacks to extract Klaue, Ross is gravely injured protecting Nakia. Rather than pursue Klaue, T'Challa takes Ross to Wakanda, where their technology can save him.
While Shuri tends to Ross, T'Challa confronts Zuri about N'Jobu, since Erik wore a necklace that belonged to him. Zuri explains that N'Jobu had become disillusioned with Wakanda's isolationism and planned to share Wakanda's technology with people of African descent to help them overcome their oppressors, with Klaue's assistance. Before T'Chaka could apprehend N'Jobu, N'Jobu attacked Zuri, forcing T'Chaka to kill him. T'Chaka instructed Zuri to claim that N'Jobu had vanished and to leave behind N'Jobu's American son, N'Jadaka, to uphold the story. This boy grew up to become Erik, a U.S. black opsNavy SEAL who took on the nickname "Killmonger." Meanwhile, Killmonger kills Klaue and brings his body to Wakanda. He is presented before the tribal elders, revealing himself as N'Jadaka and asserting his claim to the throne. Killmonger challenges T'Challa to ritual combat and kills Zuri; without the powers of the heart-shaped herb, T'Challa is severely injured and presumed dead after Killmonger throws him over a waterfall. Killmonger ingests the heart-shaped herb and orders the rest to be incinerated, but Nakia manages to extract one. Killmonger, backed by W'Kabi and his army, prepares to distribute shipments of Wakandan weapons to operatives worldwide.
Nakia, Shuri, Ramonda, and Ross flee to the Jabari Tribe for aid. They find acomatose T'Challa, rescued by the Jabari as repayment for sparing M'Baku's life. Healed by Nakia's herb, T'Challa returns to fight Killmonger, who also dons ananotech suit similar to T'Challa's. W'Kabi and his army fight Shuri, Nakia, and the Dora Milaje while Ross remotely pilots a jet and shoots down the planes carrying vibranium weapons before they can leave Wakanda. M'Baku and the Jabari arrive to reinforce T'Challa. Confronted by Okoye, W'Kabi and his army stand down. Fighting in Wakanda's vibranium mine, T'Challa disrupts Killmonger's suit and stabs him. Killmonger refuses to be healed, choosing to die as a free man rather than be incarcerated; T'Challa shows him the Wakanda sunset, and Killmonger dies peacefully.
T'Challa establishes an outreach center at the building where N'Jobu died, to be run by Nakia and Shuri. In amid-credits scene, T'Challa appears before theUnited Nations to reveal Wakanda's true nature to the world. In a post-credits scene, Shuri helpsBucky Barnes with his rehabilitation.
Chadwick Boseman asT'Challa / Black Panther: The king of the African nation ofWakanda[6][7][8] who gains superhuman abilities by ingesting the heart-shaped herb.[9] He ascends to the throne following the death of his fatherT'Chaka in the filmCaptain America: Civil War (2016).[6][10] Boseman called T'Challa ananti-hero who is "very much aware" of his responsibility as the leader of Wakanda.[11][12] Black Panther's suit, which forms around his body, was inspired by a similar design by artistBrian Stelfreeze inTa-Nehisi Coates's comic book seriesBlack Panther: A Nation Under Our Feet.[13] For his Wakandan accent, Boseman worked with the same dialect coach he had for the filmMessage from the King (2016),[11] and worked with Marrese Crump to stay in shape betweenCivil War andBlack Panther.[10] To prepare for the role, Boseman visited South Africa twice; examinedShaka Zulu,Patrice Lumumba, speeches fromNelson Mandela, andFela Kuti songs; talked to aYorubaBabalawo; trained inDambe,Capoeira Angola, andZulu stick fighting; and took aDNA test to better understand his African ancestry.[14] He signed a five-film contract with Marvel, beginning withCivil War.[15] Ashton Tyler plays a young T'Challa.[16]: i
Michael B. Jordan asN'Jadaka / Erik "Killmonger" Stevens: Ablack ops mercenary and formerU.S. Navy SEAL who seeks to overthrow his cousin T'Challa[17][18] and enforce his own opinion on how Wakanda should be ruled.[19] Jordan had wanted to play a villain for "a while",[20] and likened Killmonger and T'Challa's relationship to theX-Men charactersMagneto andProfessor X.[21] He added that Killmonger is strategic, thoughtful, patient, and "trained to a T".[22] Killmonger's bumpy, ritualistic tribal markings on his chest and torso resemble the scar tattoos of theMursi andSurma tribes,[23] and consisted of 90 individually sculpted silicone molds that took two-and-a-half hours to apply.[16]: 21 Jordan would have to sit in a sauna for two hours at the end of the day to remove the prosthetics.[24] Killmonger'sdreadlocks hairstyle was a modern take on the character's long hair in the comics.[21] To prepare for the role, Jordan studiedMalcolm X,Marcus Garvey,Huey P. Newton,Fred Hampton, andTupac Shakur.[14] He also citedHeath Ledger's portrayal of theJoker in the filmThe Dark Knight (2008) as an influence.[25] Corey Calliet, who had previously worked with Jordan on the filmCreed (2015), served as his trainer.[26]Seth Carr plays a young Stevens.[16]: i
Lupita Nyong'o asNakia: T'Challa's former lover and aWar Dog, an undercover spy for Wakanda, from the River Tribe.[10][19][27] Nyong'o called Nakia a "departure" from her comic counterpart.[19] She begins the film fighting for enslaved women inNigeria. Nyong'o trained in judo, jujitsu,silat, and Filipino martial arts.[10]
Danai Gurira asOkoye: An "extremely proud" Wakandan traditionalist from the Border Tribe who is the head of theDora Milaje, Wakanda's all-femalespecial forces and T'Challa's bodyguards.[28][29][30] DirectorRyan Coogler cast Gurira based on her performance inMother of George (2013), rather than her popular role ofMichonne in the television seriesThe Walking Dead, which Coogler had not seen. Gurira said that the fighting skills she learned playing Michonne complemented the skills of Okoye,[31] but noted that the Dora Milaje are asecret service, which covers intel as well as fighting. She explained that though the character is stoic, "she also has an unexpected sense of humor. She has a heart, but for her country and for her people."[30] Gurira's head was re-shaved every day to have her head tattoos applied, which took two-and-a-half to three-and-a-half hours.[24]
Martin Freeman asEverett K. Ross: A member of theCentral Intelligence Agency[32][33] whom Freeman described as having an "uneasy peace" with T'Challa. He added that the character goes on an "enlightening journey to Wakanda" in the film.[32] Freeman and the filmmakers sought to depict Ross as a capable agent rather than justcomic relief as he is in the comics.[10][34]
Daniel Kaluuya asW'Kabi: A confidant to T'Challa and Okoye's husband who is the head of security for the Border Tribe, serving as the first line of defense for Wakanda.[19][35]
Letitia Wright asShuri: T'Challa's 16-year-old sister who designs new technology for the country.[10][36] Wright described Shuri as innovative of spirit and mind, wanting to take Wakanda to "a new place", and felt she was a good role model for young Black girls.[36] Executive producer Nate Moore called Shuri the smartest person in the world, even more so thanTony Stark.[10]
Winston Duke asM'Baku: A powerful, ruthless warrior who is the leader of Wakanda's mountain tribe, theJabari, who protest T'Challa being the new king.[37] Duke described the Jabari as people who "strongly believe that to move forward, you have to have a strong adherence and respect for the past. So they have a deep moral conscience."[38] Character elements fromChristopher Priest's 1998–2003Black Panther series were adapted for M'Baku's portrayal in the film.[37] M'Baku is not referred to in the film by his comics alter ego "Man-Ape", since Marvel felt there were "a lot of racial implications that don't sit well" in having a Black character dress up as an ape. This aspect of the character was instead reworked to have the Jabari tribe worship the gorilla gods, with M'Baku still wearing elements of fur on his arms and legs and a chest-plate that hints at the gorilla. Moore continued, "Man-Ape is a problematic character for a lot of reasons, but the ideabehind Man-Ape we thought was really fascinating ... It's a line I think we're walking, and hopefully walking successfully."[37] To further differentiate the Jabari, Duke spoke a version of the NigerianIgbo language rather than theXhosa language spoken by other Wakandans.[16]: 23
Angela Bassett asRamonda: T'Challa and Shuri's mother, theQueen Mother of Wakanda.[40] Ramonda serves as an adviser to T'Challa for when he would otherwise have turned to his father.[19] Bassett wore a silver, waist-length wig for the role that was made from 120 pieces of hair hand-rolled into dreadlocks.[16]: 22 Calliet also served as Bassett's trainer before and during filming, creatinghigh-intensity interval training circuits and helping to craft her diet.[26]
Forest Whitaker asZuri: An elder statesman of Wakanda and the keeper of the heart-shaped herb.[19][35] Coogler called Zuri a religious and spiritual figure, referencing the spirituality of Wakanda from the comics, and compared him toObi-Wan Kenobi from theStar Wars series. Zuri is also a "major tie back" to T'Chaka for T'Challa.[41]Denzel Whitaker, who is not related to Forest, plays a young Zuri.[18]
Andy Serkis asUlysses Klaue: A South African black-market arms dealer, smuggler and gangster[10][42] who is allied with Killmonger.[13][19] Klaue uses a segment of advanced Wakandan mining equipment as a sonic disruptor arm-cannon that serves to replace his left arm, which was lost inAvengers: Age of Ultron (2015).[43] Boseman described Klaue as a threat to Wakanda, one of the few outsiders to enter the country, and someone with access tovibranium. He compared the character toOsama bin Laden.[44] Serkis added that in addition to his desire for vibranium, Klaue is motivated by a "personal" vendetta against T'Challa, and "to expose what he thinks is the hypocrisy of Wakanda".[45]
In June 1992,Wesley Snipes announced his intention to make a film aboutBlack Panther,[57] and began work on it by that August.[58] Snipes felt that Africa had beenportrayed poorly in Hollywood films previously, and that this film could highlight the majesty of the continent due to the title character being noble and "the antithesis of [African] stereotypes".[59] The next July, Snipes planned to beginThe Black Panther after starring inDemolition Man (1993),[60] and a month later he expressed interest in making sequels to the film as well.[61] In January 1994, Snipes entered talks withColumbia Pictures to portray Black Panther,[62] and Black Panther co-creatorStan Lee joined the film by March;[63] it entered early development by May.[64] Snipes had discussions with several different screenwriters and directors about the project, includingMario Van Peebles andJohn Singleton.[59] When the film had not progressed by January 1996, Lee explained that he had not been pleased with the scripts for the project.[65] Snipes said that one of the issues with the project's development was confusion among those unfamiliar with the comics, who thought the film was about theBlack Panther Party.[59]
We've yet to have a major Black comic book hero on the screen. Especially the Black Panther, which is such a rich, interesting life. It's a dream come true to originate something [like] that.
–ActorWesley Snipes, who worked on early iterations ofBlack Panther[61]
In July 1997,Black Panther was listed as part ofMarvel Comics' film slate,[66] and in March 1998, Marvel reportedly hiredJoe Quesada andJimmy Palmiotti, who at the time were editors of the Black Panther comics, to work on it;[67][59] Quesada and Palmiotti have both denied this.[59] That August, corporate problems at Marvel put the project on hold.[68] A year later, Snipes was set to produce, and possibly star, in the film,[69] whileArtisan Entertainment announced a deal with Marvel in May 2000 to co-produce, finance, and distribute the film.[70] In March 2002, Snipes planned to make the film orBlade 3 (2004) over the next year.[71] In July 2004,Blade 3 directorDavid S. Goyer stated that he felt Snipes starring as Black Panther in addition to Marvel'sBlade "might be overkill".[72]
In September 2005, Marvel chairman and CEOAvi Arad announcedBlack Panther as one of ten films being developed by the newMarvel Studios.[73] Marvel Studios received financing to produce the slate of ten films to be distributed byParamount Pictures.[74] In June 2006, Snipes said he hoped to have a director for the project soon,[75] and Marvel Studios presidentKevin Feige reiterated in February 2007 thatBlack Panther was in development.[76] By that July, Singleton had been approached to direct the film.[77] Two months earlier,Fantastic Four (2005) directorTim Story expressed his interest in castingDjimon Hounsou as Black Panther if he were to direct anotherFantastic Four film afterFantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007),[78] but a thirdFantastic Four film helmed by Story went unproduced.[79] In March 2009, Marvel hired writers to help come up with creative ways to launch its lesser-known properties, including Black Panther;[80] Nate Moore, the head of the writers program, was overseeing the development ofBlack Panther specifically.[81] Snipes's involvement stalled at this time, as he was convicted of failing to file a tax return, serving his sentence from June 2010 to April 2013.[82] In January 2011, Marvel Studios hired documentary filmmakerMark Bailey to write a script forBlack Panther, to be produced by Feige.[83] By October 2013, the metalvibranium, which comes from Black Panther's home nationWakanda, was introduced in theMarvel Cinematic Universe;[84] Marvel had considered showing Wakanda itself as early asIron Man 2 (2010), but were waiting until they had "a full idea" of how to depict it.[10]
In October 2014, Feige announced thatBlack Panther would be released on November 3, 2017, withChadwick Boseman cast as T'Challa / Black Panther.[7][8] Boseman did not audition for the role, instead discussing what he wanted to do with the part with Marvel,[85] and earned $2 million for appearing in the film.[86] The actor was set to first portray the character inCaptain America: Civil War (2016).[8] Snipes gave his support for the project, despite no longer being involved.[59] Feige said that Marvel was considering minority writers and directors for the film, but would prioritize "the best filmmakers, the best writers, the best directors possible. So I'm not going to say for sure that we're going to hire from any one demographic". He added that they had met with formerBlack Panther comics writerReginald Hudlin.[87] In January 2015, Boseman said that the film was going through a "brainstorming phase",[88] and the next month Marvel pushed back the release date to July 6, 2018.[89] Also in February, Feige stated that casting for the film was underway, and added that he was set to meet with directors about the film following the release ofAvengers: Age of Ultron (2015) at the end of April.[90]
By May 2015, Marvel had discussions withAva DuVernay to work on eitherBlack Panther orCaptain Marvel (2019) as director.[91] In June, Feige confirmed that he had met with several directors, including DuVernay, and said that he expected a decision to be made by mid- to late 2015.[92] By early July, DuVernay had passed on directing the film,[93] explaining that she had been drawn to the cultural importance of depicting a Black hero to the whole world, but disagreed with Marvel on the story and did not want to compromise her vision.[93][94] By October 2015,F. Gary Gray andRyan Coogler had been considered as directors for the film,[95][96] though negotiations with Coogler had cooled,[96] and Gray had chosen to directThe Fate of the Furious (2017) instead.[97]Joe Robert Cole, a member of the Marvel writers program, was in talks to write the screenplay,[98] and Marvel changed the release date once again, moving it to February 16, 2018.[99] By December, discussions with Coogler were reignited after the successful opening of his filmCreed (2015).[96]
Pre-production
Coogler was confirmed as director in January 2016,[100] and said that the film was his "most personal movie to date" in part because he grew up reading comics,[101][102] adding, "I feel really fortunate to be able to work on something I'm this passionate about again."[102][103] After being "wooed" by Feige for months, Coogler agreed to direct the film if he could bring collaborators from his previous films to differentiate the film from other MCU films that are often "shot, composed, and edited by the same in-house people". This includedFruitvale Station (2013) cinematographerRachel Morrison,[104] as well as production designerHannah Beachler and composerLudwig Göransson, who both worked with Coogler onFruitvale Station andCreed.[104][105] Coogler feltBlack Panther would be unique while still fitting within the MCU's overall narrative.[101]
What's so great about Panther is he's a superhero who ... [is] a leader in his country. It just so happens that the country is a warrior-based nation where the leaders have to be warriors, as well, so sometimes he has to go fight.
In April 2016, Feige said that Coogler was working on the script with Cole, and that filming would begin at the beginning of 2017.[107] He added that the film would be the first Marvel Studios production to feature a "primarily African-American cast":[108][109]Lupita Nyong'o soon entered negotiations to star as T'Challa's love interest,[27] andMichael B. Jordan joined in an undisclosed role, after previously working with Coogler onFruitvale Station andCreed.[17] Nate Moore, serving as a producer on the film by the end of May, stated that filming would occur in Atlanta, Georgia, with Marvel "definitely investigating shooting in Africa" as well.[81]
Coogler promotingBlack Panther at the 2016 San Diego Comic-Con
The production team was inspired byTa-Nehisi Coates's run onBlack Panther, who was writing the comic at the same time as they were working on the film. Of particular inspiration was Coates's poetic dialogue,Brian Stelfreeze's art, and "some of the questions that it's asking".[106] The film was also inspired by the comic runs ofJack Kirby,Christopher Priest (which Coogler felt most influenced the film),Jonathan Hickman, and Hudlin. Characters for the film were picked from throughout the comics based on what worked for the film's story.[38] The ceremonial betrothal aspect of the Dora Milaje was not adapted from the comics for the film.[10] Coogler had hoped to includeSpider-Man villainKraven the Hunter early in the process because of a scene in Priest's run that had T'Challa fighting Kraven, but the rights to the character were not available due toSony Pictures owning all rights to Spider-Man characters.[116]Donald Glover and his brotherStephen made some minor contributions to an early draft of the script, developing the relationship between T'Challa and his younger sister Shuri.[117] Moore noted that an early script had more scenes outside of Wakanda to explore "what it means to be African and African-American in the world a bit more", and hoped these could be revisited in a later film, particularly a "super cool" sequence that wasstoryboarded before being cut.[118] Coogler and Robert Cole had considered including theGolden Age black heroEli Bradley / Patriot for a while, but they ultimately excluded him to focus on Wakanda.[119] Eli Bradley was eventually featured in theDisney+ miniseriesThe Falcon and the Winter Soldier (2021), portrayed by Elijah Richardson.[120]
Feige describedBlack Panther as "a big geopolitical action adventure" that focuses on family and T'Challa learning to be king,[108] withCivil War laying the groundwork for T'Challa's morality and establishing the geopolitical landscape that he would have to deal with on returning to Wakanda.[121] Moore compared the politics and humor of the film toCaptain America: The Winter Soldier (2014), saying that the former would be inherent but not "preachy", and that the latter would avoid the tones ofGuardians of the Galaxy (2014) andAnt-Man (2015).[10] He also said the film would be a cross betweenThe Godfather (1972) and theJames Bond films as a "big, operatic family drama centered around a world of international espionage".[19] Coogler was influenced by 1970s films such as the works ofFrancis Ford Coppola in that decade, as well as crime fiction. He also watched the filmA Prophet (2009) for inspiration.[122] Feige called the film's story "rich in culturally relevant ideas", with Boseman indicating there were parallels to "pull from" in the film in relation toDonald Trump becomingPresident of the United States afterBarack Obama, though Feige added that "these are conversations we were having two years ago because that is inherently the story within the comics."[44] Moore said the film does not depend on the plots of any other MCU films, but it does affect the wider MCU moving forward,[10] with Feige stating the film was "a very important" link toAvengers: Infinity War (2018) andAvengers: Endgame (2019).[108][123]Civil War did introduce the Wakandan language, based on theXhosa language, which Boseman was taught byJohn Kani, who portrays T'Challa's father, KingT'Chaka.[124] Additional actors portraying Wakandans inBlack Panther learned the language,[125] with Coogler making the use of the language "a priority... as much as possible". Coogler tried to incorporate Xhosa "in natural and authentic situations", such as when multiple Wakandans were speaking in the presence of nonnatives and wanted to say something they would not understand. John Kani's sonAtandwa served as a dialect coach on the film along with his father.[126]
Design
Cole called the film an historic opportunity to depict a Black superhero "at a time when African-Americans are affirming their identities while dealing with vilification and dehumanization". It was important to root the film in the actual cultures of Africa, with the filmmakers consulting with experts on the region of Africa that Wakanda is supposed to be located in,[127] rooting the film "in reality first and then build[ing] out from there".[6] Coogler's vision for Wakanda was inspired by the southern African countryLesotho, a country which has historically been "an enclave, able to protect its independence because of its terrain" and was only lightlycolonized by the British;[128][129] the country's traditional blankets are also featured in the film.[128] Coogler compared the rarity of vibranium existing only in Wakanda to the real-life mineralcoltan that can almost only be found in Congo.[130] He wanted Wakanda to feel like a full country with multiple distinct tribes,[37] and created a project bible that detailed each Wakandan tribe to guide the design process. Special care was taken to create a futuristic look that was not alien,[10] as some of Jack Kirby's original comic designs appeared.[131]
Sets
Beachler wanted to honor the comic designs, but fill in the gaps with research concentrated onSub-Saharan Africa, pulling inspiration fromUganda,Rwanda,Burundi,Congo-Kinshasa,Ethiopia,[132] as well as the designs ofZaha Hadid,[10] and the pre-colonization architecture of the historicMali Empire and the city ofTimbuktu.[133] Moore described this approach of taking inspiration from many different sources as alove letter to Africa.[10] Beachler looked at the architecture of existing tribes, and then tried to advance the technology naturally rather than if Wakanda had been colonized.[132] Circular motifs, signifying the transmission of energy, were an important theme throughout the film. Older locations depicted in the film, such as Warrior Falls, the City of the Dead, and the Hall of Kings, were juxtaposed with the more modernAfro-punk style of the Golden City, the capital.[10]Rondavels were incorporated into the tops of Wakanda's skyscrapers, inspired by the appearance of mountains atBlyde River Canyon in South Africa.[132]
Beachler created different sigils and architecture for each of the Wakandan tribes, with the Border Tribe inspired byLesotho, the Merchant Tribe having a sigil based onNigerian writing, and the Golden Tribe using a sun symbol found throughout Africa. Gorilla City, home to the Jabari Tribe, was originally set in a rain forest, but Coogler suggested that it be found up a mountain in snow.[10] Beachler based the written form of the Wakandan language on an old Nigerian language. She consulted with mining and metallurgy experts for the vibranium technology,[16]: 15 including for the vibranium mine where the substance is depicted as glowing blue rocks before it is refined into thestainless steel look previously seen in the MCU. The film also adapts the kimoyo bead technology from the comics, and features sand-based technology. Beachler wanted futuristic elements of the film to be consistent with projections of what real world technology may be like in 25 or 30 years, such as themaglev and hovercraft technology used in vehicles. The Wakandan vehicles include a maglev train for carrying vibranium; the king's Royal Talon Fighter, which looks like a mask from the top and bottom; and the Dragon Flyer, inspired by theCongo peafowl.[10]
The majority of Beachler's sets were constructed on sound stages in Atlanta, including the Tribal Council, Shuri's design space, and the Hall of Kings. The Tribal Council set was built with a glass floor through which an old ruin can be seen. The exterior set for Warrior Falls was built on a backlot north of Atlanta, and was inspired by theOribi Gorge. The set was 36 feet (11 m), made up of a six-foot-high (1.8 m) pool, and then 30-foot-high (9.1 m) cliff faces that were designed to be extended to 100 feet (30 m) with visual effects. A framework for the cliffs was hand-sculpted from industrial styrofoam, with a system of tunnels built-in to the design to allow extras to climb up to different areas of the cliffs. The framework was then covered with 25,000 cubic feet (710 m3) of foam that was sculptured to match rocks found at Oribi Gorge. The pool was filled using six large pumps, so as to create a waterfall above the ledge at the bottom. The base of the pool was made from padding so stunts could safely be carried out on the set, but designed to look like rocks and to have enough grip that the actors would not fall over in the water. The set was completed in four months, and was used for two weeks of filming.[16]: 16
Costumes
TheMaasai people of Kenya (top) inspired about 80% of the design of theDora Milaje, Wakanda's all-female special forces (bottom).[24]
The Dora Milaje costumes primarily used red to reflect different African cultures, and included beaded tabards that feature talismans that would be passed down from mother to daughter. Carter wanted to avoid the "girls in the bathing suits" look, and instead have the Dora Milaje wear full armor that they would practically need for battle. She also had to take actors' stunt work into consideration.[10] Anthony Francisco, the Senior Visual Development Illustrator, noted the Dora Milaje costumes were based 80 percent on the Maasai, five percent onsamurai, five percent onninjas, and five percent on theIfugao people from the Philippines. The arm band and neck rings were a reference to theSouthern Ndebele people and denote stature. As such, General Okoye has gold bands and rings while the other Dora Milaje wear silver.[24]
The costumes for T'Challa combined his role as king and as the head of the military, including combining akente cloth cloak with military boots.[10] Carter also used distinct colors and patterns for each of Wakanda's tribes, such as green with shells for the River Tribe based on the Suri; blue with wood for the Border Tribe; black with royal purple for the Black Panther and the Royal Palace;[10][24] plums and purples for the Merchant Tribe in reference to the Tuareg; and ochre for the Mining Tribe inspired by the Himba.[24] Three out of every five people in Wakanda go barefoot. The Wakandans wear "normal" clothes outside of the country, with the colors of their costumes kept consistent.[10] Overall, Carter created 700 costumes for the film, working with "an army" of illustrators, designers, mold makers, fabric dyers, jewelry makers and more.[135]
Hair department head Camille Friend referenced traditional African art, fabrics, hair, and textures, and the current-day natural hair movement in her designs. Friend strived to keep the actors' hair natural, using "braids, locs and twists", and when necessary, extensions and wigs. As with Carter, Friend designed each tribe to have their own identifiable aesthetic, such as the Jabari Tribe having hair styled with "very straight, clean lines" and war-paint detail, inspired by Senegalese warriors.[24]
Filming
Principal photography had begun by January 21, 2017,[136] atEUE/Screen Gems Studios in theAtlanta metropolitan area,[137][138] under the working titleMotherland.[139][140] Filming also took place atPinewood Atlanta Studios,[141] and in theSweet Auburn neighborhood in Atlanta, which doubled as Oakland; theHigh Museum of Art, which served as the fictional Museum of Great Britain in London; andAtlanta City Hall, which served as a United Nations building.[137][142] Cinematographer Rachel Morrison, who was eager to work onBlack Panther after working with Coogler onFruitvale Station,[143] first watched all of the other MCU films to understand the established "language". She wanted to "push" that language and feature more contrast in color. Visual effects supervisor Geoff Baumann provided Morrison with before-and-after shots of scenes fromCivil War so she could understand what elements are captured on set and what is created digitally.[144] She filmed in 3.4KArriRaw withArri Alexa XT Plus cameras andPanavision Primo lenses,[145] primarily using a two-camera set-up with a third or fourth camera on occasion. Morrison said that lighting was her biggest challenge, the magnitude of which "was much bigger than I'd experienced before", and made extensive use of Arri SkyPanelLED light fixtures, which she could preprogram from aniPad. Some sets were completely surrounded by SkyPanels.[143]
Shortly after filming started, Atandwa Kani stated that he would appear in the film alongside his father, the latter reprising the role of T'Chaka,[46] while on-set photographs revealed thatMartin Freeman would reprise his role asEverett K. Ross.[136] Marvel announced that production was underway on January 26, and confirmed the casting of Freeman, Wright, and John Kani, while revealing thatAndy Serkis would reprise his role asUlysses Klaue fromAvengers: Age of Ultron.[42][146] Atandwa portrays a younger version of his father's character, and also served as a cultural consultant during filming. Dialect coach Beth McGuire worked to ensure there was continuity between the various actors who had to use "Wakandan accents".[16]: 22 Jordan joined the production later than the rest of the core cast. He felt that this aided his performance, since his character is separate from and in conflict with the other characters. Because of this, Jordan kept to himself while he was on set.[10] SinceBlack Panther andAvengers: Infinity War were filming simultaneously in Atlanta, both production teams worked together closely to ensure a unified presentation of Wakanda in the films, as the country also plays a large role inInfinity War.[138]
Additional filming took place in South Korea,[146] with the city ofBusan serving as the setting of a car chase scene that involved 150 cars and over 700 people.[140][147] Coogler and Morrison referenced the car chase sequences fromBullitt (1968),Drive (2011), andThe French Connection (1971), taking the best elements from each forBlack Panther's sequence.[144] Filming in Busan began on March 17,[148] at theJagalchi Fish Market.[149] Filming moved toGwangalli Beach on March 21,[148] with other South Korean filming locations includingMarine City in theHaeundae District and at theGwangandaegyo Bridge.[147] The production crew hired hundreds of current and former film students from local universities as staff or assistant staff during the South Korea filming.[148] Filming in the country wrapped on March 27,[147] with additional location shooting also taking place at theRwenzori Mountains andBwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda.[145][150] John Marzano served as cinematographer for aerial footage of South Africa, Zambia, Uganda, and South Korea.[145][151] AtCinemaCon 2017, Wright was revealed to be portraying Shuri in the film.[152] Filming concluded on April 19, 2017.[105]
Post-production
Editing
Black Panther was edited by Michael Shawver andDebbie Berman, with Shawver spending time on set during filming as well as at an editing suite near the Atlanta production base.[153] Berman joined the film after an initial director's cut had been produced, two weeks after she completed work on Marvel'sSpider-Man: Homecoming (2017),[154] because Coogler likes to have both a male and female editing his films.[153] She believed that she was chosen by Marvel because she is South African, and had been expressing interest inBlack Panther throughout the editing process forHomecoming after first seeing the character inCivil War.[154] Shawver said that a lot of their time editing was spent discussing how their work was affecting the audience. For instance, Shawver felt that initial versions of the first Warrior Falls fight fell "flat" and used techniques he learned working with Coogler onCreed to have the editing move back-and-forth to mimic the back-and-forth of the fighters. He also felt that adding more reaction shots to the crowd during the fight gave more weight to T'Challa's victory at the end.[155] During work on the final battle, Berman pointed out to Coogler that the female Dora Milaje are rescued by the all-male Jabari tribe, which she felt undermined the focus on female characters leading up to that moment. Coogler agreed, and subsequently added female Jabari fighters to the scene through additional photography, including the first onscreen Jabari fighter in the scene. Berman felt that this was an important change that would not have been made if only men were editing the film.[154]
As first hinted by Coogler in January 2018,[122] the film includes twopost-credit scenes: one showing T'Challa address the United Nations; and one featuringSebastian Stan reprising his role asBucky Barnes.[56] The first scene was originally intended to be part of the actual ending of the film, but was moved to during the credits so the film could conclude in Oakland, where it begins. Coogler felt having this symmetry was important.[156] In the scene, T'Challa says "The foolish build barriers, while the wise build bridges." Some felt this was a reference to the political climate of thepresidency of Donald Trump, but Coogler stated that the line was added before Trump's election and was simply an African proverb that his wife had found. His intention with the scene was to inspire the audience by making T'Challa seem like a real person in a familiar, real-world environment, similar to how Tony Stark was treated inIron Man (2008).[157] Coogler was not mandated by Marvel to feature connections to other films, but was interested in addressing the fact that Barnes was in Wakanda (per the end ofCivil War) because it would be fun for the audience. He did not feel the character fit in the body of the film, but felt that an end-credits scene was appropriate.[156] Coogler originallypitched a post-credits scene teasingNamor, which would have depicted wet footprints leading to the throne in the Wakandan palace;[158] this did not occur in part because of rights issues with the character. Namor debuts instead inBlack Panther: Wakanda Forever, portrayed byTenoch Huerta Mejía.[159]
Visual effects
Visual effects for the film were created by:Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) with help from Virtuos, Stereo D, andScanline VFX;Double Negative;Luma Pictures; Mammal Studios;Method Studios;Perception; Rise Visual Effects Studios; Torm Studios; Trixter;Cantina Creative; Lola VFX; Capital T; Exceptional Minds; Technicolor VFX;Rodeo FX; Imageloom VFX; Anibrain; Method Pune; Bot VFX; Pixstone Images; Futureworks; Vertigo Visual; FX3X; and Yannix Thailand Co.[16]: xii–xx [160]Previsualization was completed by Digital Domain and The Third Floor.[16]: xi Geoffrey Baumann served as visual effects supervisor.[155]
ComparingBlack Panther to other MCU films, Baumann noted that the visual effects department often have free rein when creating otherworldly science fiction designs, but had to be more specific with this film due to the need to be authentic to African culture and geography. For the Warrior Falls environment, the amphitheater-like cliff walls had to be populated with digital spectators that could not simply be copy-and-pasted around the set due to the precise costume designs created by Carter for each tribe and character. Instead, the visual effects department had to work with the costumers to individually model each digital extra for the sequence. Additionally, visual effects were also used to adjust the opening sequence after test audiences were confusing the characters of T'Chaka and T'Challa, both dressed as the Black Panther. Artists digitally added some grey to T'Chaka's beard and gold trimmings to his suit to help differentiate the characters.[155]
ILM was primarily responsible for creating the digital urban environments of Wakanda. ILM VFX supervisor Craig Hammack compared this work to his time onTomorrowland (2015), but noted the additional challenge of not just building a futuristic city, but also one that was culturally appropriate. He explained that African culture has a "certain amount of earthy material qualities that make things difficult to design as a futuristic city," which would typically use much steel and glass. ILM looked to real life examples that blend modern architecture with natural environments likeOne Central Park inSydney andThe Pearl of Africa Hotel inKampala, but also had to "depart from a strict understanding of physics and go into a movie cheat world" at times to produce the desired look. Hammack was also inspired by the architecture of Uganda, where he spent time while aerial footage for the film was being shot. 60,000 individual buildings were designed and modeled for the city, which Hammack said was the first thing ILM began work on and also the last thing they were doing when the film was completed. Other things that ILM worked on during the production included set extensions and blue-screen replacements for interior sets, and the first rhinoceros shown in the film. For T'Challa's ancestral plane scenes, ILM replaced the basic set that was used with a full CG environment including an acacia tree and animated panthers. The sky was based on theNorthern Lights, with this first designed for nighttime scenes before being replicated for daytime scenes in which the animators had to work hard to keep the effects visible. ILM also added additional sand for the burial sequences so Boseman could breathe during filming, and additional flames when Killmonger burns the heart-shaped herb.[145]
Method Studios created many of the natural environments of Wakanda. The company built a 3,600 km2 (1,400 sq mi) landscape that is visible in various aerial shots in the film, which was based on multiple landscapes from across Africa. Method was also responsible for creating Black Panther's and Killmonger's digital suits, including developing the look of the nanotechnology they use. They created many of the film's digital characters, vehicles, and weapons, with some of those digital creatures being rhinoceroses for the final battle, a sequence that Method did the majority of the work for. Because these rhinoceroses did not have to be seen on screen with the one designed by ILM, only basic structures, scale, and details of the character models had to be shared between the two companies. Much of the work for the final fight included crowd simulation, with Method working alongside the stunt coordinators in motion capture sessions to give each fighter a unique style. In addition to randomizing the height and weight of each digital fighter, the models had to incorporate specific design elements from the costumers. Method also worked on the vibranium mine and Shuri's laboratory, including animating the gadgets seen in the latter.[145]
Luma Pictures worked on the Busan car chase sequence, digitally creating the cars featured in the sequence based onCAD models and on-set reference. Multiple digital versions of the same car were created, so the production could have the actual cars crash and do various stunts with them, with Luma then inserting the digital versions to augment these moments. Luma also created the sonic forces from Klaue's cannon, while Scanline VFX worked on digitally removing Serkis's left arm for the London museum heist sequence.[161] Several companies worked on the vibranium sand effects used in Wakandan technology, including ILM for the beginning of the film.[145] Perception spent 18 months researching real-world technologies, phenomena, and visual themes to aid them in their work on the film. Their designs for the vibranium sand were based on research being done with ultrasonic transducers for the purpose of mid-air haptics and acoustic levitation. They integrated this research into the kimoyo beads worn by Wakandans and as a working interface on the royal talon fighter. Perception also created the traditional displays on the talon fighter and in Shuri's lab. For the talon fighter, the company "experimented with parallax, depth, and volume in the information being displayed, as well as developing a unique color palette to brand the Wakandan tech". In Shuri's lab, Perception adjusted the hues on the wall to match her attire, and for her healing room "proposed that the hexagonal pattern seen on the wall actually reveal itself to be articulating panels" that "pulse and ripple". The company also created the function of Black Panther's suit with nano technology and "layering the suit with different patterns as well as adding 'sub-dermal' luminescent tattoos", the virtual car chase with Shuri and T'Challa, and designed the opening prologue, with the final version created by Storm VFX. Perception also created the main-on-end title sequence.[162]
After reading the script, composer Ludwig Göransson decided to go to Africa to do research for the film.[163] He spent a month in Senegal, first traveling around with musicianBaaba Maal on his tour,[163][164] and then spending several weeks working with local musicians to form the "base" of his score.[165][166] Göransson was particularly drawn to thetalking drum and thetambin, orFula flute, to use in his character themes,[163][167] along withhorns.[166] Nate Moore compared the work Göransson did in defining the sound of the film to the use of music byJames Gunn in theGuardians of the Galaxy films,[168] with the composer pushing Marvel out of their comfort zone.[169]
Kendrick Lamar produced the film's curated soundtrack,Black Panther: The Album, along withTop Dawg Entertainment founder Anthony Tiffith, after Coogler wanted to include original songs from Lamar in the film because his "artistic themes align with those we explore in the film".[170][171] The soundtrack features songs that are heard in the film as well as others that are inspired by it, with the other artists featured the majority of "top-billing names" under Top Dawg Entertainment.[171] Göransson collaborated with Lamar and producerSounwave on the soundtrack.[172] Three singles from the album were released throughout January and February 2018: "All the Stars",[170] "King's Dead",[173] and "Pray for Me".[174]Black Panther: The Album was released on February 9, 2018,[175] while a soundtrack of Göransson's score was released on February 16.[176] Anextended play titledBlack Panther: Wakanda Remixed, featuring remixes of five cues from Göransson's score, was released on August 16, 2018. Göransson worked with several other artists to create the remixes.[177]
Marketing
Marvel debuted early footage andconcept art from the film at a press event in April 2017. Kyle Buchanan ofVulture praised the cinematography, costume and production design, and Black cast, saying "Black Panther doesn't look like any of the other Marvel movies ... If this is what the future of superhero movies looks like, deal me in."[105] The screened footage was the first time Marvel had shown rawdailies, which Feige said they did to show off the "highest-class cast we've had" despite editing having not yet begun.[178] A poster was released ahead of the first teaser trailer, which premiered during Game 4 of the2017 NBA Finals.[179][180] Fans onTwitter felt the poster was poorly photoshopped,[181] and it was compared to a real-life picture ofBlack Panther Party co-founderHuey P. Newton.[179] The trailer received a much more positive response, with Peter Sciretta of/Film finding it unexpected and refreshing,[182]io9's Charles Pulliam-Moore calling it "every bit as intense as you were hoping it would be",[183] and Andrew Husband forUproxx feeling the single teaser outshone the entireHomecoming marketing campaign.[180] It was viewed 89 million times in 24 hours, generating 349,000 mentions (second only to the amount theStar Wars: The Last Jedi (2017) teaser received) and "dominated the conversation on social media" over Game 4.[184][181] PercomScore and its PreAct service, the film was the subject of the most new social media conversations for the rest of the week,[185] and the second-most for the week ending June 18, behindHomecoming.[186]
(L:R) ModeratorChris Hardwick, Feige, Coogler, and the cast ofBlack Panther at the 2017 San Diego Comic-Con
Costumes from the film were on display atD23 Expo 2017 and the 2017 San Diego Comic-Con,[187][188] with Coogler, Boseman, and other members of the cast presenting exclusive footage of the film at the latter event, to a standing ovation from the audience.[189] In September, Coogler, Gurira, and Moore participated in a panel at theCongressional Black Caucus Foundation's Annual Legislative Conference, where exclusive footage from the film was also shown and met with a positive response.[130] On October 16, 2017, a full trailer was released. Dave Trumbore forCollider praised the trailer for showing an "unmistakable sense of style" unique to the character,[190] while BamSmackPow's Brendan Day felt the trailer "does everything right".[191] Writing forRolling Stone, Tre Johnson felt the trailer showed T'Challa as "someone with the arrogance of[John] Shaft, the coolness of [Barack] Obama and the hot-headed impulsiveness ofKanye West".[192] A few days later, Marvel Comics published aprelude tie-in comic focusing on one of T'Challa's first missions as the Black Panther set around the time ofIron Man.[193] The firstCollege Football Playoff National Championship halftime show was organized by Disney for the2018 championship game, withKendrick Lamar performing to promoteBlack Panther: The Album and the beginning of ticket sales for the film.[194]
By February 12,Black Panther was the most-tweeted about film of 2018 with more than 5 million tweets globally,[195] and in mid-March it became the most-tweeted-about film ever with 35 million.[196] DuringNew York Fashion Week, designersCushnie et Ochs, Ikiré Jones, Tome,Sophie Theallet, Fear of God,Chromat, and LaQuan Smith created custom pieces that were inspired by the film for an event titled "Welcome to Wakanda: Fashion for the Black Panther Era".[194][197] Marvel Studios formed a partnership withLexus on the film, with the 2018Lexus LC being featured in it.[198] The partnership produced a graphic novel,Black Panther: Soul of a Machine, which was released in December 2017 from writersFabian Nicieza, Geoffrey Thorne, andChuck Brown;[198][199][200] a concept coupe from Lexus inspired by the character;[200] and aSuper Bowl LII commercial featuring Boseman, Gurira and Wright,[201] which had 4.3 million views on social media after its Super Bowl airing, according to RelishMix.[202] Other marketing partners included shoe manufacturerClarks creating a film-inspired variant of their Originals' Trigenic Evo shoe;[203]PepsiCo andUnilever launching an arts program for young people in urban areas to be mentored by established artists;Brisk created an interactiveBlack Panther installation at the2018 NBA All-Star Game;Lancôme highlighted a line of makeup that Nyong'o and Wright used at the film's premiere; andSynchrony Financial with Marvel awarded the Ghetto Film School Fellows program with a $50,000 grant, with Coogler speaking to the school's students.[202]
Overall,Black Panther had the most expansive advertising budget and biggest line of merchandise of any Marvel non-sequel.[204]Deadline Hollywood estimated that budget to be $150 million.[3] Asad Ayaz, Executive Vice President of Marketing for Marvel films, said the campaign was about "super-serving" Black audiences while still trying to appeal to all, in order to make the film "feel like a cultural event".[194] Disney and Marvel created a "synergy program" with theCollege Football Playoffs onESPN, theABC television seriesBlack-ish,Grey's Anatomy,Scandal, andHow to Get Away With Murder, theFreeform seriesGrown-ish, and theBravo franchiseThe Real Housewives.[202] Marketing outside the United States was "fairly uniform", though in the Middle East the focus was kept on Black Panther in-costume as superhero films "just keep working" there according to Gianluca Chakra of Middle East distributor Front Row. This was the same for Asian territories. A Wakanda exhibit was featured in malls in seven Chinese cities, along with displays showing Black Panther with other MCU characters. A special trailer created for China had Boseman explain the character's connection to other MCU films.Weibo attended the Los Angeles premiere to take pictures and videos with the cast and crew in real time for China, the first time the company has partnered with a foreign studio for this type of engagement.[205]
Release
Theatrical
Black Panther had its world premiere at theDolby Theatre in Los Angeles on January 29, 2018.[206] The premiere featured apurple carpet that was flanked by women dressed as the Dora Milaje,[207] while Coogler, cast members, and other guests wore African clothing at the request of Marvel for attendees to wear "royal attire", honoring the African setting of the film.[2][207] Ahead of the premiere screening, Coogler received an extended standing ovation before he announced the cast of the film.[207]Black Panther was released in the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, and Taiwan on February 13,[208] in South Korea on February 14,[209] and the United States on February 16.[99] In the United States, the film opened in 4,020 theaters,[202] with over 3,200 of those in3D,[210] 404 inIMAX,[202] over 660 in premium large format, and over 200D-Box locations. In addition,Black Panther was the first MCU film to be converted to ScreenX, a 270-degree wraparound format, that played in over 101 locations in eight countries.[210] The film opened in most markets in its first weekend of release including a "cross-nation release" in Africa, a first for a Disney film.[130][150][208]Black Panther was originally scheduled for release on November 3, 2017,[7] before moving to July 6, 2018, to accommodateSpider-Man: Homecoming (2017).[89] It was then moved to the final February date to accommodateAnt-Man and the Wasp (2018).[99]Black Panther is part ofPhase Three of the MCU.[211]
WhenBlack Panther premiered inRiyadh, Saudi Arabia on April 18, 2018, it was the first public film viewing after a nearly-30-year-oldban on cinemas was rescinded in December 2017. The premiere took place in a cinema owned byAMC Theatres in theKing Abdullah Financial District of Riyadh.[212][213] Disney's regional distributor, Italia Film, said 40 seconds of the film had been removed, which was in line with cuts made to the film across the region.Awwad Alawwad, Saudi Arabia's Minister of Culture and Information, andAdam Aron, CEO of AMC Entertainment, were in attendance for the premiere along with other diplomats and industry experts; no one from the cast or production team was in attendance.[214]Black Panther screened there for five days beforeAvengers: Infinity War premiered on April 26.[213]
Black Panther returned to 250 AMC Theatres in the United States from February 1 until February 7, 2019, for free, with two showings of the film occurring at each theater for the week. The week-long return was in honor of the start ofBlack History Month and the film winning twoScreen Actors Guild Awards and earning anAcademy AwardBest Picture nomination. Disney also gave a $1.5 million grant to theUnited Negro College Fund.[215]
Home media
Black Panther was released fordigital download byWalt Disney Studios Home Entertainment on May 8, 2018, and onUltra HD Blu-ray,Blu-ray, andDVD on May 15, 2018. The digital and Blu-ray releases included several bonus features: behind-the-scenes featurettes, audio commentary, deleted scenes, a blooper reel, an exclusive look atAnt-Man and the Wasp, and a featurette on the first ten years of the MCU.[216] As of November 11, 2018[update], the film's Blu-ray and DVD releases have sold 4.2million units and grossed$87 million in the United States, making it thebest-selling film of 2018.[217]Black Panther was originally made available onNetflix, but was removed in March 2020 after Disney regained license for the film.[218] It was released onDisney+ on March 4, 2020, in the United States and Canada.[219]
On June 19, 2020,TBS,TNT, andtruTV aired the film, along withJust Mercy (2019), another film which also starredJordan, to coincide with the celebrations ofJuneteenth and to support social justice againstsystemic racism in response to themurder of George Floyd.[220] On August 30, 2020,ABC hosted a television specialChadwick Boseman: A Tribute for a King,[221] aired after the film's commercial-free premiere on the same day, to honor Boseman, who died on August 28, 2020, from colon cancer.[222] The special was presented byRobin Roberts, and featured about Boseman's life, career and legacy, as well as tributes served by celebrities, political figures and fans; it also featured other Marvel co-stars,Robert Downey Jr.,Scarlett Johansson,Jeremy Renner,Mark Ruffalo, andPaul Rudd, along withMarvel Studios chiefKevin Feige, andDisney CEOBob Iger, sharing their experiences on working with Boseman, and the legacy he had left behind.[223] The special released on Disney+ after its television debut.[224]
On November 29, 2020, Marvel changed the studio'sproduction logo animation in the opening of the film to include images of Boseman from the film, as well as his appearances inCaptain America: Civil War,Avengers: Infinity War, andAvengers: Endgame.Black Panther concept art and excerpts from the script were also included. This change was done on the Disney+ version of the film, to honor Boseman on what would have been his 44th birthday.[225] Despite being released in IMAX theaters in the 1.90:1aspect ratio, the home media release only includes the cropped2.39:1 aspect ratio version that was used for non-IMAX screenings.[226] The IMAX Enhanced version of the film was made available on Disney+ beginning on November 12, 2021.[227]
Reception
Box office
Black Panther grossed $700.4million in the United States and Canada, and $649.5million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $1.350billion.[4] It became the highest-grossing solo superhero film,[228] thethird-highest-grossing film of the MCU andsuperhero film overall,[229] theninth-highest-grossing film of all time,[230] and the highest-grossing film by an African-American director.[231][232] It is the fifth MCU film and the 33rd film overall to surpass $1billion at the box office,[233] and it is thesecond-highest-grossing film of 2018.[234]Deadline Hollywood calculated the film's net profit as $476.8 million, accounting for production budgets, marketing, talent participations, and other costs; box office grosses and home media revenues placed it second on their list of 2018's "Most Valuable Blockbusters".[3]
Pre-sale tickets
The film had the fourth-highest pre-sale tickets sold onFandango, and became the top pre-seller for a superhero film and for a film released in February as well as the first quarter of a year.[235] The first 24 hours of ticket pre-sales on the site were the largest for a Marvel film.[236]Black Panther also had the highest number of ticket pre-sales for any superhero film atAlamo Drafthouse Cinema,[237] while out-selling all previous Marvel films at AMC Theatres,[238] and having strong pre-sales at Atom Tickets.[210] Four days before its United States opening,IMAX Entertainment CEO Greg Foster revealed thatBlack Panther had the most advanced IMAX ticket sales of any Marvel film, which did not appear to have peaked 10 days before opening as with most films;Black Panther, he said, "feels like it's going to peak the day it opens".[239] Fandango's pre-sales ultimately accounted for 30% of the film's United States and Canada opening weekend gross, one of the largest box office shares for any film in Fandango's history.[240]
United States and Canada
Early projections forBlack Panther's opening weekend ranged from $80–170million,[208][241] with rival film studios projecting the total to be as high as $180–200million;[210] Disney projected the gross to be around $150million.[208] It ultimately earned $75.8million on its opening day (including $25.2million from Thursday night previews), and $242.1million over the four-dayPresidents' Day weekend.[202] This was the best Presidents' Day weekend opening,[242] and the best opening weekend for a Black director and predominantly Black cast.[243] With a total gross of $202 million, the film had the highest February opening weekend, surpassingDeadpool (2016).[244] For AMC Theatres,Black Panther became the highest-grossing film ever at 33 locations,[245] and had the biggest opening weekend for 150 of them. Overall, this was the second-largest opening weekend ever for the chain with 4.4million admissions. Atom Tickets sold more tickets forBlack Panther than any other superhero film.[246] Anthony D'Alessandro ofDeadline Hollywood described the success as "summer box office records during the second month of the year".[202]
The week after its opening weekend was also strong, with a record-setting Tuesday and Thursday earnings,[247][248] becoming the MCU film with the highest first-week gross.[249] It also surpassed $300million in eight days, becoming the fastest MCU film to do so.[248] In its second weekend, the film earned $112million, which was a 45 percent decrease from its opening week, the smallest decline in a second weekend for any MCU film. It was the second-best second weekend ever, and the best second weekend for a Marvel film beatingThe Avengers ($103million).[250]Black Panther also became the highest-grossing film released in February, surpassingThe Passion of the Christ (2004) ($370.3 million).[251]
Black Panther was the first film to hold the number one spot at the box office for at least five weekends sinceAvatar (2009),[252] and the first February release to hold the top box office spot for five weekends sinceWayne's World in 1992.[253] The film declined over subsequent weekends, but remained in the top ten through its tenth.[254][255] In its eleventh weekend, the film rose back up at the box office, in part because of the release ofAvengers: Infinity War the same weekend,[230] and the following weekend it earned $3.14 million from over 1,600 locations. D'Alessandro noted the gross from that number of locations indicated people were continuing to seeBlack Panther in conjunction withInfinity War.[256]Black Panther was in the top ten again in its thirteenth weekend.[257]
In its 25th weekend, Disney increased the film's theater count from 10 to 25 to help the film become the third ever to surpass $700million.[258][259] Brian Gallagher ofIGN felt the film surpassing $700million was more impressive thanInfinity War's $2.045billion worldwide gross at the time. Gallagher pointed toBlack Panther being more consistent each week, never having more than a 50% weekend decrease until the 15th frame whileInfinity War dropped 55% in its second weekend, its February release date without any major competition from other films, and the fact it was "a rallying cry for diversity and representation".[259]Black Panther is thehighest-grossing film of 2018 and became thethird-highest-grossing film of all time,[260] as well as the highest-grossing superhero film.[254][261][262] Its IMAX total of $36million is the most for any MCU film.[250] In July 2020, due to the worldwide closure of cinemas during theCOVID-19 pandemic and limits on which films played,Black Panther returned to 421 theaters—mostlydrive-ins—and grossed $367,000, the second-highest for the weekend behindThe Empire Strikes Back's (1980) re-release.[263]
Other territories
Outside the United States and Canada, the film opened in 48 territories in its first weekend and earned $184million,[264][242] opening at number one in most territories (though second in some, whereFifty Shades Freed performed better, such as Germany and Italy). It became the top February opening in many countries,[264][265] including in the African market and the Middle East, while taking the top spot across Latin America.[264] IMAX accounted for $11.5million of the opening weekend gross, from 272 screens,[246] which included record opening weekends in the format for Nigeria, Kenya, and Indonesia.[264] In its second weekend, in 55 territories, the film earned $83.5million and remained number one in most, including across Latin America, while becoming the top film in Germany. The West Africa region saw a 7% increase, which resulted in the biggest three-day weekend ever there. Trinidad had the biggest opening weekend ever ($700,000) and the IMAX release in Russia ($1.7million) was a February record for that country.[266]
In its third weekend, the film remained number one across many of its 56 territories, including the entire Latin America region,[267] while its opening in Japan was the top Western film for the weekend, the second overall.[267][268] In its fourth weekend,Black Panther opened in China ($66.5 million) with the fourth-highest MCU and superhero opening ever in the country. This included the biggest opening day and opening weekend ($7.3 million) of March for IMAX in China. The film also remained at number one in the United Kingdom and the Latin America region (except Argentina) for the fourth straight weekend, as well as number one in South Africa, Australia and New Zealand.[269]Black Panther was the top film in South Africa for seven weeks,[270] where it became the highest-grossing film ever.[271] It also became the highest-grossing film of all time in West and East Africa, and the southern Africa region,[267][272] and the highest-grossing superhero film ever in the Netherlands.[228] As of April 8, 2018[update], the film's largest markets were China ($104.6 million), the United Kingdom ($67.7million), and South Korea ($42.8million).[273] It became the fifth-highest-grossing MCU film of all time in other territories.[271]
Thereview aggregatorRotten Tomatoes reported an approval rating of 96%, with an average score of 8.3/10, based on 532 reviews. The website's critical consensus reads, "Black Panther elevates superhero cinema to thrilling new heights while telling one of the MCU's most absorbing stories—and introducing some of its most fully realized characters."[275] As of February 18, 2018[update], it was the best-reviewed live-action superhero film on the site, beatingThe Dark Knight (2008) andIron Man (both 94%).[276]Metacritic, which uses aweighted average, assigned the film a score of 88 out of 100 based on 55 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".[277] Audiences polled byCinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A+" on an A+ to F scale, the second live-action superhero film to receive that grade after Marvel'sThe Avengers. Filmgoers polled by comScore'sPostTrak service gave the film a 95% positive score and an 88% "definite recommend", with a third of people planning to see the film again.[202][250] RelishMix reported that the use of Twitter hashtags for #BlackPanther and tagging of the film's Twitter account from those leaving the theater was the highest for a film's opening weekend, with 559,000 unique posts in one day (100,000 posts for a film is average).[202]Black Panther was listed on many critics' top ten lists as a top film of 2018.[278]
Individual critics calledBlack Panther one of the best standalone Marvel films,[279] one of the best Marvel origin films,[280] one of the best superhero films of the century,[281] and a "refreshing answer to the increasingly stale world of superhero cinema".[282]Peter Travers ofRolling Stone called it unlike any other Marvel film, "an exhilarating triumph on every level from writing, directing, acting, production design, costumes, music, special effects to you name it".[283] Jamelle Bouie put the film in the same league asSuperman (1978),Spider-Man 2 (2004), andThe Dark Knight, superhero films that do not "transcend the genre as much as they embrace it in all its respects". Bouie concluded, "Black Panther could have been just another Marvel romp [but] Coogler and company had the power, and perhaps the responsibility, to do much more. And they did."[284] The cast was acclaimed.[281][280]Todd McCarthy ofThe Hollywood Reporter said Boseman "certainly holds his own, but there are quite a few charismatic supporting players" including Jordan, Nyong'o, and Wright.[285]
The writing was praised for its handling of themes of Africans.Manohla Dargis honoredBlack Panther as an "emblem of a past that was denied and a future that feels very present" due to its focus on Black imagination, creation, and liberation.[286] At theLos Angeles Times,Kenneth Turan praised the themes of the film and their exploration of what wealthy countries owe to the poor and oppressed, and noted that the film "draws energy from Coogler's sense of excitement at all he's attempting", saying that the film was worth seeing twice which he felt was rare for a modern superhero film.[287]Richard Roeper, writing for theChicago Sun-Times, said audiences should watch the film if they appreciate "finely honed storytelling with a Shakespearean core; winning performances from an enormously talented ensemble; provocative premises touching on isolationism, revolution and cultures of oppression, and oh yeah, tons of whiz-bang action sequences and good humor".[281] Brian Truitt ofUSA Today stated, "While the themes are deep,Black Panther is at the same time a visual joy to behold, with confident quirkiness, insane action sequences and special effects, and the glorious reveal of Wakanda".[280]
Natasha Alford ofThe Grio called the film a "movement, a revolution in progress, and a joy to experience all wrapped into one", and called it "a master class in what it means to be proud of who you are".[288]Jamie Broadnax of Black Girl Nerds called the film a masterpiece that is "afro-futuristic and Blackity-black as hell. It's everything I've ever desired in a live-action version of this popular superhero and yet so much more."[289] Bouie said, "it is fair to say thatBlack Panther is the most political movie ever produced by Marvel Studios, both in its very existence... and in the questions its story raises."[284] Devindra Hardawar atEngadget was critical of the CGI, notably the digital actors used, calling them "weightless, ugly and, worst of all, incredibly distracting". Hardawar felt two "particularly disappointing" CGI shots were when T'Challa flips over a car during the Korea chase, and when T'Challa and Killmonger punch each other as they fall within the vibranium mines.[282]
Analysis
Cultural importance
Many have wondered whyBlack Panther means so much to the Black community and why schools, churches and organizations have come to the theaters with so much excitement. The answer is that the movie brings a moment of positivity to a group of people often not the centerpiece of Hollywood movies... [Racial and ethnic socialization] helps to strengthen identity and helps reduce the likelihood on internalizing negative stereotypes about one's ethnic group.
Writing forTime, Jamil Smith feltBlack Panther would "prove to Hollywood that African-American narratives have the power to generate profits from all audiences", and described it as a resistance to "a regressive cultural and political moment fueled in part by the white-nativist movement... Its themes challenge institutional bias, its characters take unsubtle digs at oppressors, and its narrative includes prismatic perspectives on Black life and tradition."[291] Discussing the film as a defining moment for Black America inThe New York Times Magazine, Carvell Wallace said that in contrast to earlier Black superhero films,Black Panther "is steeped very specifically and purposefully in its Blackness". He felt Wakanda would become a "promised land" for future generations of Black Americans, "untroubled by the criminal horrors of our [current] American existence."[292] Historian Nathan D. B. Connolly saidBlack Panther was "a powerful fictional analogy for real-life struggles" that taps into a "500-year history of African-descended people imagining freedom, land and national autonomy." Connolly also felt, culturally, the film would be this generation'sA Raisin in the Sun (1961).[293] Writer and activistShaun King found the film to be a cultural moment in American Black history similar toRosa Parks'Montgomery bus boycott,Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech, orBarack Obama being elected president.[294]
By contrast, James Wilt, writing forCanadian Dimension, stated that "at its core,Black Panther contains a fundamentally reactionary understanding of Black liberation that blatantly advocatesrespectability politics over revolution" allowing "white folks such as myself to feelextremely comfortable watching it". Wilt found the scene where Ross is portrayed as "the hero" for shooting down the Wakandan ships to be the film's way of approving the vanquishing of armed resistance against oppression. Wilt also felt that Killmonger was given the "most hideous traits imaginable [making] the only major African-American character and agitator for revolution a manic killer consumed by rage and violence".[295] Russell Rickford of Africa is a Country wrote that Killmonger's role as a character is "to discredit radical internationalism".[296] Faisal Kutty fromMiddle East Eye felt the film had underlyingIslamophobic themes, with the only Islamic characters being aBoko Haram–based group that kidnapped several girls and forced them to wearhijab.[297]
Science & Entertainment Exchange Director for theNational Academy of Sciences Richard Loverd felt the film would increase interest in science, technology, and Africa for young Black Americans, similarly to howThe Hunger Games films andBrave (2012) sparked girls' interest in archery.[130] Broadnax felt many people who generally do not watch comic book films would go toBlack Panther since "they're going to see themselves reflected in a huge way that they just haven't been able to see before",[298] especially since the film avoided the plight typically depicted in films about the Black experience.[292] She also stated that the strong female characters, such as Shuri, would be an inspiration for girls.[298]
Gil Robertson, co-founder and president of the African American Film Critics Association, called the film "critically important" and "a gate-opener opportunity for other Black-centered projects".[298] In 2022, producer and actressViola Davis credited the film for helping her filmThe Woman King (2022) get made.[299] Child development expert Deborah Gilboa felt the film would "make a huge impact on children's spirits" by offering positive role models.[300] Scholar Marlene D. Allen felt the saying "if you can see it, you can be it" applied to the film, especially with the female characters in the film. Allen felt the women of Wakanda "are the very definition of 'Black Girl Magic', a term coined by CaShawn Thompson in 2013 'to celebrate the beauty, power, and resilience of Black women.'"[301] Tre Johnson ofRolling Stone felt that "after decades of trying to nail the modern Black superhero, we mayfinally be getting what we've asked for", with Johnson sayingBlack Panther felt different from theBlaxploitation films of the 1970s and the "Blaxploitation-lite" attempts at Black superhero films in the 1990s and 2000s because it was "respectable, imaginative and powerful", setting "a new direction" for the depiction of Black superheroes.[192] In the film's opening weekend, 37% of audiences in the United States were African-American, according to PostTrak, compared to 35% Caucasian, 18% Hispanic, and 5% Asian.[202] This was the most diverse audience for a superhero film ever (African-Americans generally make up 15% of audiences for superhero films).[194] In its second weekend, demographics were 37% Caucasian, 33% African American, 18% Hispanic and 7% Asian.[250]
In early January 2018, philanthropist Frederick Joseph created aGoFundMe drive to raise money for children of color at theBoys & Girls Club inHarlem to seeBlack Panther.[302] Joseph said the film was a "rare opportunity" for underserved children of color to see "a Black major ... comic book character" brought to film.[300] Joseph promoted the drive with Boseman onThe Ellen DeGeneres Show. The drive went on to raise over $45,000,[303] exceeding its goal,[302] with the money also funding other programs for children in Harlem.[303] Joseph also started the "Black Panther Challenge" where he encouraged other people to create similar drives for their communities.[302] GoFundMe made a centralized site for those wishing to start a drive for the challenge.[304] 400 additional drives were started around the world, and the overall drive became the largest GoFundMe in history for an entertainment event, raising over $400,000.[202] Many celebrities offered their support and contributions to the drives,[302] includingEllen DeGeneres,Snoop Dogg,Chelsea Clinton,J. J. Abrams,[303]Octavia Spencer,[305] and British actressJade Anouka.[303]
In June 2018, theSmithsonian Institution'sNational Museum of African American History and Culture announced they had acquired several items from the film for their collection, including Boseman's Black Panther costume and a shooting script for the film signed by Coogler, Feige, Moore, and Cole. The museum said that the collection provides a "fuller story of Black culture and identity" by showing the progression of Black Americans in film, "an industry that [once] regulated them to flat, one-dimensional and marginalized figures."[306] In conjunction withThe Hollywood Reporter's Women in Entertainment Mentorship Program, and its partner the Greater Los Angeles chapter ofBig Brothers Big Sisters, Walt Disney Studios created "TheBlack Panther Scholarship", worthUS$250,000 toLoyola Marymount University. Boseman, Nyong'o, and Gurira presented the scholarship to its first recipient atThe Hollywood Reporter's 2018 Women in Entertainment event in early December 2018.[307]
African and African-American representation
Dwayne Wong (Omowale) writing inHuffPost saw the film and its comic origins as addressing "serious political issues concerning Africa's relationship to the West that is very rarely given the serious attention that it deserves", with Wakandans portrayed as suspicious towards outsiders. He concluded that while the country is fictional, the politics "are very real. The end ofcolonialism did not end Western tampering in Africa's politics".[308] Carlos Rosario Gonzalez ofBam! Smack! Pow! said the struggle between T'Challa and Killmonger represents the collision of "what it means to be African" and "what Africa means to Afro-minorities today". In this view, Wakanda represents Africa without Western colonialism, and Killmonger shows us that "we can sometimes inevitably become what we seek to destroy," concluding that Killmonger wants to use Wakanda's resources to become a colonizer of the West while "Wakanda's conservative ways created the very problem that sought to destroy them, Erik Killmonger".[309] Jelani Cobb, writing inThe New Yorker, discussed the divide between Africans and African Americans, which he called a "fundamental dissonance". He felt T'Challa and Killmonger represented "dueling responses to five centuries of African exploitation at the hands of the West. The villain, to the extent that the term applies, is history itself". Cobb added thatBlack Panther is political in a way previous MCU films were not because in those "we were at least clear about where the lines of fantasy departed from reality [while this film is set in] in an invented nation in Africa, a continent that has been grappling with invented versions of itself ever since white men first declared it the 'dark continent' and set about plundering its people and its resources."[310] Writing forThe Atlantic,Adam Serwer argued against the assertion that Erik Killmonger was a representation for Black liberation, positing instead that he represented imperialism. He felt that this was emphasized through his actions, as Killmonger's attempts to take over several of the world's major cities notably include Hong Kong. Since China does not have a white Western hegemony in need of overthrowing, Killmonger's desire to conquer China was purely for the sake of power. Ultimately, he argues that "Black Panther does not render a verdict that violence is an unacceptable tool of Black liberation—to the contrary, that is precisely how Wakanda is liberated. It renders a verdict on imperialism as a tool of Black liberation, to say that the master's tools cannot dismantle the master's house."[311]
Patrick Gathara, writing inThe Washington Post, described the film as offering a "regressive, neocolonial vision of Africa", which—rather than a "redemptive counter-mythology"—offers "the same destructive myths". Gathara highlighted the Africa that is portrayed, still essentially a European creation, as being divided and tribalized, with Wakanda run by a wealthy and feuding elite that despite its advanced technical abilities does not have a means of succession beyond lethal combat. The Wakandans "still cleanly fit into the Western molds [of] a dark people in a dark continent" according to Gathara, and they "remain so remarkably unsophisticated that a 'returning' American can basically stroll in and take over ... [The film] should not be mistaken for an attempt at liberating Africa from Europe. Quite the opposite. Its 'redemptive counter-mythology' entrenches the tropes that have been used to dehumanize Africans for centuries."[312] Christopher Lebron, in a piece forBoston Review, called the film racist because it depicts Black Americans who had been left in poverty and oppression, as exemplified by Killmonger, as still being "relegated to the lowest rung of political regard" in the film, treated as less deserving of empathy and less capable of their acts being deemed heroic, than even Ross's white spy. Lebron felt that T'Challa could have shown himself a good person by understanding how Killmonger was affected by American racism and T'Chaka's "cruelty", and could have agreed that justice sometimes requires violence as a last resort against oppression. He summed up by commenting that "In 2018, a world home to both theMovement for Black Lives and a president [Donald Trump] who identifies white supremacists as fine people, we are given a movie about Black empowerment where the only redeemed Blacks are African nobles [who] safeguard virtue and goodness against the threat not of white Americans or Europeans, but a Black American".[313]
By late August 2018, Disney hired Academy Award campaign strategist Cynthia Swartz to create a nomination campaign on behalf of the film for the 91st Academy Awards, with Feige and Marvel Studios said to have given the film a noteworthy budget for the awards season, an obligation which Marvel didn't consider for previous films. The campaign was focused to highlight "the film's creative accomplishments and the global impact it made" in the hopes of receiving a Best Picture nomination; the campaign was not altered with the announcement of the newBest Popular Film award, which appeared to be "designed to reward blockbusters likeBlack Panther" in the event they did not receive a Best Picture nomination.[327] The Best Popular Film award was ultimately not implemented for the 91st Academy Awards, in order for theAcademy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to "examine and seek additional input regarding" it.[328][329] Glenn Whipp of theLos Angeles Times felt the "blueprint" for the film's Best Picture campaign was to "communicate to Oscar voters that this is an auteur-driven superhero movie possessing a deep significance both to its director and to people historically underrepresented in Hollywood films." Another Oscar campaign consultant felt reminding the Oscar votersBlack Panther "wasn't just a movie, it was a phenomenon" would help the film earn a nomination. Another said voters "want to reward good movies and they also want to reward movies that say something significant and make the industry look good." The consultants also felt ifBlack Panther could earn multiple nominations in the craft award categories, it would bolster its chances for a Best Picture nomination; Whipp believed that Morrison, Beachler, Carter, Friend and Harlow, and Lamar all had the possibility to be nominated forBest Cinematography, Best Production Design, Best Costume Design,Best Makeup and Hairstyling, and Best Original Song, respectively.[327] A few weeks later, Disney revealed theirFor Your Consideration list, with consideration in allAwards of Merit categories, aside fromBest Actress and categories it was not eligible for, such as those for animation, short films, and documentaries.[330][331]
Black Panther was ultimately nominated for seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Costume Design, Best Production Design, Best Original Score, Best Original Song (for "All the Stars"), Best Sound Editing, and Best Sound Mixing.[332] The film was the first superhero film ever to be nominated for Best Picture,[318] while Beachler's nomination for Best Production Design was the first for an African American.[333] Feige called the Best Picture nomination "the highest form of recognition from our peers".[318] On her nomination, Beachler said she felt "a certain responsibility. It means breaking down walls ... for young women of color and boys and girls of color to see that this is not impossible."[333]
A sequel,Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, was released on November 11, 2022,[334] with Coogler returning as co-writer and director. Nyong'o, Gurira, Freeman, Wright, Duke, and Bassett reprise their roles, whileTenoch Huerta Mejía joined them asNamor.[335] In August 2020, Boseman died fromcolon cancer; Coogler, Feige, and executives at Marvel Studios had been unaware of Boseman's illness.[336][337] Feige stated in December 2020 that the role of T'Challa would not be recast,[338] with Wright taking over as the lead in the sequel.[339]
By November 2024, Coogler had had discussions withDenzel Washington about casting him for a role in a third film.[340] The next month, Moore announced plans to exit his role at Marvel Studios in March 2025 to pursue producing outside the studio, though he would return to produceBlack Panther 3 along with Marvel Studios.[341]
In December 2023,Marvel Studios Animation announcedEyes of Wakanda,[342] an animated series created in collaboration with Coogler's production companyProximity Media. In May 2024, Todd Harris was revealed to have created the series, and he serves as the director. He previously served as a storyboard artist at Marvel Studios.[343][344][345]Eyes of Wakanda was released onDisney+ on August 1, 2025,[346] and consists of four episodes.[347] The series tells the story of Wakandan warriors, the Hatut Zaraze, who carry out dangerous missions around the world to retrieve vibranium artifacts throughout history, and features an ensemble cast.[348]
By February 2021, Coogler was developing a drama series set in Wakanda for Disney+ through Proximity Media.[349] Gurira had signed on to star as Okoye in the series by May 2021, with it focusing on the character'sorigin story.[350][351] The series was no longer being made by February 2025.[352]
^Breznican, Anthony (June 9, 2017)."Black Panther trailer decoded: Secrets of the new Marvel movie – Slide 8".Entertainment Weekly.Archived from the original on June 15, 2017. RetrievedJune 9, 2017.'He's somewhat a religious figure, or spiritual figure,' Coogler says of Zuri. 'Spirituality is something that exists in Wakanda in the comics and it's something we wanted to have elements of in the film. Forest's character, more than anything, is a major tie back to T'Challa's father. Zuri is someone he looks to for guidance.' He says think of him as the Wise Old Man – Black Panther's version of Obi-Wan Kenobi.
^Breznican, Anthony (June 9, 2017)."Black Panther trailer decoded: Secrets of the new Marvel movie – Slide 14".Entertainment Weekly.Archived from the original on June 13, 2017. RetrievedJune 9, 2017.In the comics, Klaue's weapon was an ultra-sonic emitter he used as a prosthetic for his missing arm. In this film, he attaches a piece of advanced Wakandan mining equipment as his arm-cannon – which is presumably what led the CIA and Black Panther to capture him. In this shot, we can see the limb has been taken from him.
^Breznican, Anthony (June 9, 2017)."Black Panther trailer decoded: Secrets of the new Marvel movie – Slide 18".Entertainment Weekly.Archived from the original on June 13, 2017. RetrievedJune 9, 2017.Among the tribal rulers, the camera lingers on one especially compelling presence. Coogler says the man with the emerald suit and lip plate is 'the elder of one of the largest tribes in Wakanda'. He's played by actor Isaach De Bankolé, known for brutalizing Daniel Craig's 007 in Casino Royale. Across from him sits T'Challa's widowed mother, Ramonda (played by Angela Bassett)...
^Brodie, John (January 5, 1994). "Hollywood Pours Its Heroes into Tights".Chicago Sun-Times.
^Pitts, Leonard Jr. (March 27, 1994). "A comics milestone from the action-filled universe of superheroes come new characters, and a new diversity".The Miami Herald. p. J1.
^Lovece, Frank (May 15, 1994). "Off the drawing board".Newsday.
^Nye, Doug (January 28, 1996). "Stan Lee hopes New World deal pumps life into his creations".The State.
^Dawes, Amy (July 27, 1997). "Action! Movie studios lining up to turn comics into cinematic gold".Daily News of Los Angeles.
^Smith, Andrew (March 22, 1998). "So here's the wackiest gimmick of all – good writing for comics".The Commercial Appeal.
^Fortes, Stephan (August 23, 1998). "Blade Runner".Newsday.
^Radford, Bill (August 1, 1999). "Superheroes at home on big screen".The Gazette.
^abcHewitt, Chris (February 2016). "Set Phase 3 To Stun".Empire. United Kingdom. p. 21.Black Panther (February 9, 2018)... Feige confirms that the film, which will be the last Marvel movie before the Avengers return, will boast a 'primarily African-American cast', while Creed's Ryan Coogler is reportedly in negotiations to direct (Coogler declined to comment). As for the film itself, 'It's a big geo-political action adventure that focuses on the family and royal struggle of T'Challa in Wakanda, and what it means to be a king. T'Challa's story is very important to us as it links to the next Avengers films, which is why we brought it forward.'
_poster.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
