As someone who has seen the first Black Panther movie over 50 times, there are very few things that would surprise me. With the new Black Panther: Wakanda Forever movie coming out, I decided to challenge myself to find out some little-known fun facts about the Black Panther.
My thoughts on Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Before I get into all the fun facts, I would be remiss to not give my thoughts on the much-anticipated sequel to Black Panther. Of course I’m biased, and it would take a lot for me to ever think anything negative about it. That said, early reviews are saying that it’s incredible, and I am here to tell you…it is.
For me, the most important thing I needed from Wakanda Forever was for it to honor the memory of, and pay tribute to, Chadwick Boseman. In my mind, Chadwick will always be THE Black Panther, and his unexpected death in 2020 hit me in a way that no other celebrity death has. To show you just how much it affected me, you can check out the post I made when he died called Remembering Chadwick Boseman.
I have to say that it wasn’t even one minute into the movie before I had tears in my eyes. Ryan Coogler and the entire cast of Wakanda Forever did right by Chadwick. I heard that before they filmed the movie, the cast went to visit his gravesite, and I’m sure that not only helped them to collectively grieve their friend, but gave them the determination to carry on what he started.
I may be biased but…
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is phenomenal. Visually, it was stunning. I enjoyed the storyline. Angela Bassett has proven once again what a brilliant actor she is. The entire cast is wonderful. I really enjoyed the introduction of Namor, and the underwater city called Talokan. I loved how they paid tribute to Chadwick Boseman and the Black Panther so well, without letting it take over the story. I was so impressed by the thought and consideration that Ryan Coogler put into this movie. You can tell that there was so much care. And the costumes? Designer Ruth Carter did it again.
Final thoughts
If you’re a fan of the original Black Panther, it’s a must-see. I’m looking forward to once again watching Black kids happy faces as they see themselves on the screen. My 9-year-old nephew is going with his football team, and I can’t wait to hear what he thought. Early predictions say that it’s expected to make between $175 and $185 million domestically, and another $180 million abroad. The original Black Panther opened to over $202 million in 2018. Guess we’ll have to wait! Enjoy the movie. Wakanda Forever!
Now that that’s out of the way, here’s I Can’t Believe I Didn’t Know This About…Black Panther.