As the Wakandans struggle to accept the next chapter, the heroes must come together with the help of War Dog Nakia (Lupita Nyong’o) and Everett Ross (Martin Freeman) and chart a new course for the kingdom of Wakanda.Queen Ramonda, Shuri, M’Baku, Okoye, and the Dora Milaje fight to protect their nation from interference in world politics due to the death of King T’Challa As the Wakandans struggle to embrace the next chapter, the heroes will team up with Nakia and Everett Ross to create a new path for their beloved kingdom Then the unthinkable happened Chadwick Boseman, the legendary hero who broke barriers as the leader of Wakanda, died in August 2020 after battling colon cancer He was only forty-three years old Coogler suddenly found himself grieving not only the loss of his star but also that of his best friend, a collaborator who helped shape Black Panther from the beginning. The future they’ve spent years imagining is over, and Coogler isn’t sure he wants to return to Wakanda — or return to film.

I’m like, ‘Man, how am I going to open up to me again?’”, Coogler began replaying memories in his head. He’ll see old photos of himself and Boseman, or listen to interviews where his friend talks about what T’Challa’s character in Wakanda means to him. The actor has been a strong supporter of the film, and as Coogler listens to Boseman’s words, he finds himself once again thinking about the future. “I thought back to the many conversations we had, about what I understood to be the end of his life,” says the director. “I decided it made sense to move on.”

This movie is a lot about how you keep going when you’re going through a terrible crisis says producer Nate Moore Black Panther Wakanda Forever All the writings old and new deal with how death can affect your behavior in an emotional and surprising way Wakanda Forever is a sad story and Boseman death shaped both the plot and the filming process But it’s also a story of joy introducing brave new heroes and celebrating the rich world of Wakanda Each member of the cast says that filming was emotional but they also found it cathartic and even fun Each character affects change in a different way Duke’s M’Baku still leads the Jabari tribe. where he plays a ajor role in Wakandan affairs. Gurira said Okoye remains loyal to his country and “would be happy to lay down his life for it.”

And the stoic Queen Ramonda contemplates unimaginable death, first the death of her husband and now her son T’Challa.As for daughter Ramonda, Wright says Shuri has “buried herself in her technology” and spends her time in her lab, locking herself away as she mourns her brother. Black Panther Wakanda Forever Like many of his teammates, Wright is working on expanding the sequel, and he says he’s especially excited to explore new aspects of his favorite characters. Black Panther Wakanda Forever Black Panther Wakanda Forever “We have not seen this on a large scale, where there is a black girl who is a princess, and she is a scientist,” said the 28-year-old criminal. Black Panther Wakanda Forever “I felt this sense of pride when a girl came up to me and said, ‘Hey, you made me smart in school, and made me feel like I could be in technology next to a guy, and there’s “It changed my life forever The name may be Wakanda forever, but Wakanda isn’t the only country that could be doing great work.

The film depicts the underwater kingdom of Talocan, ruled by the hero Namor. Coogler has long been interested in the mercurial Namor, and in the comics, the submarine has always been a formidable foe for Black Panther Black Panther Wakanda Forever “He’s always cool and charming but he’s also arrogant Coogler said It’s kind of crazy kinda romantic and incredibly strong This character was created in 1939 and became one of the Marvel Comics characters Licensing issues prevented Marvel and Coogler from showing him in the first movie, but here Namor finally makes his action debut, complete with feathered ears and feathers above his ankles Mexican actor Tenoch Huerta plays the anti-hero, who faces off against Wakanda as he fights to protect his motherland. Black Panther Wakanda Forever “Perhaps the biggest twist in the character is that he’s not selfish,” says Huerta. “He takes care of the community. He’s not an individual. It’s part of the race.” Black Panther Wakanda Forever The 41-year-old actor, known for his work in projects such as The Forever Purge and Narcos: Mexico, jumped at the chance to portray the famous Marvel character. There only one problem: although he was driven to play the ruler of the underwater kingdom.

Huerta could not swim. When Coogler offered him the job and asked him about his swimming skills, Huerta simply replied, “I’ve never drowned before.” “I never lie!” now talking about acting, laughing. “I’ve never drowned before, so that’s not a lie.” (To prepare for the job, he took swimming lessons. (Of course, all the characters have improved their swimming skills and practiced breathing exercises, whether their characters are from Talocan or Wakanda.) In the movie, Namor rules the kingdom of Atlantis, a Greek-inspired underwater paradise. Black Panther Wakanda Forever But Coogler and Marvel wanted to rethink the kingdom for the screen, instead of portraying Talocan as a beautiful Mesoamerican civilization, hidden under the sea. Specifically, Talocan was inspired by Mayan culture, the filmmakers and production team worked closely with Mayan historians and experts. Like their enemies in Wakanda, Talocan itself has a rich history and is hidden from the rest of the world. “They often cause conflict because they are not different,” Moore says of the two civilizations. “It’s those countries that you’d rather be hidden and isolated, with strong kings and strong ideas about how the world should be.”The Wakandans may be facing a new adversary, but luckily they also have many new allies. I Can Destroy You creator and star Michaela Coel joins the cast as Wakandan warrior Aneka, while Dominique Thorne debuts as creator Riri Williams – better known as Ironheart. Riri only appeared in a Marvel movie in 2016, but has become a fan favorite, a famous student following in the footsteps of the armored Tony Stark.

Despite his possible inspiration as a wealthy billionaire sportsman, teenage Riri is more down to earth. “I love that she’s so independent,” Thorne, 25, said. “It’s definitely not heroic or traditional. It’s actually Riri Williams, a 19-year-old student at first, and then there’s this whole Ironheart thing that she has to figure out.” Thorne will narrate the upcoming Disney+ movie Ironheart in 2023, but first he’s going to Wakanda. Just as the original Black Panther dealt with the diversity of the black experience, pitting the African T’Challa against the American Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan), Wakanda Forever will explore similar areas to Shuri and Riri born in Chicago. Wright said that she is happy that black girls love another role model like Riri, like they love Shuri. “It’s like it’s being done again in a new and beautiful way,” Wright said. Black Panther Wakanda Forever “I think it’s really nice to see that there’s another chance for these characters to shine.” Thorne auditioned for the first Black Panther while in college. He didn’t get the job, but he starred in Judas and the Black Messiah, a Coogler-produced film. Some time later, he received a call from producer Marvel Moore, who asked him if he knew Riri Williams. When Thorne said yes, he thought Moore would ask him to investigate or send in the tape himself. Instead, he offered him the job immediately.

Black Panther Wakanda Forever One of the tricky things about making this world-loved culture-changing film is that the bar is always raised for the inevitable sequel. The first Black Panther turned many members into household names in an instant, and many admitted that they felt “pressure” to take over Wakanda once and for all. Not only was Black Panther a record-breaking superhero it sparked a global conversation about the portrayal of black people on screen. Black Panther Wakanda Forever In 2019 the film became the first comic book film to win Best Picture and at the time, EW contributor Marc Bernardin wrote that it felt like a “cinematic revolution Marvel’s film dances of “hope in it. ” and the dream of the crowd that has never seen itself on the screen like this, which is used with care and all the resources are based on films that show people who -support paler.”

Duke remembers opening weekends almost turning off his phone as he was bombarded with congratulatory texts, photos of sold-out reviews and videos of kids staring blankly and posters of superheroes filled with black faces. . Black Panther Wakanda Forever When EW spoke to Gurira in September, he was in Ghana, and he said that wherever he goes on the African continent — in Nigeria, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Zambia — he still experiences something almost daily about How Black Panther changed people’s lives. “There’s still so much love and appreciation for this character, for this role, for this story,” marvels the Walking Dead star. “

I was part of the original franchise, but how deeply rooted it is in Africa and African issues is truly unprecedented.” Any sequel should live up to that weighty legacy — and the legacy of the late Boseman. None of the actors had a strong impact on the set, to the point that it would be difficult to return to the set. “The tribal council, it’s hard to go back because the last time we saw the throne was at Chadwick,” Gurira says. But during those emotional moments, there’s a support system: Black Panther Wakanda Forever “When one person is having a tough day, everyone rallies around them,” Duke says. “We have to do this one by one.”

The cast and crew say that Boseman’s legacy has forever informed every aspect of Wakanda, from the story and performance to the production complexity. “I always wear it to every movie,” Wright says. Black Panther Wakanda Forever “I always ask, ‘Bro, what do you think?’ but try hard to maintain a spiritual connection, it means everything to me, and that’s why I’m here. He chose me to be his sister, so I wouldn’t have gone on this journey without him.”If there’s one thing Wakanda has learned, Black Panther Wakanda Forever it’s that the right leader can get you through the worst of situations. Black Panther Wakanda Forever For the filmmakers of Wakanda Forever, the leader is Coogler, an artist from Creed and Fruitvale Station who made their base a place to collaborate, invite the cast and ship service to share their views. “I was nervous about the beginning of this shoot because I couldn’t imagine how we would go on without Chadwick,” said Nyong’o. Black Panther Wakanda Forever “It was incomprehensible to me. But Ryan managed to honor his life and work in the film and our lives with his inspiring, honest, and vivid vision.” Moore said even more simply: “I think and our group will follow him on the mountain. , to be completely honest.”

Black Panther Wakanda Forever Coogler and Marvel have repeatedly stated that they never considered reuniting T’Challa with another actor. Instead, Coogler’s hope is that Wakanda Forever will continue Boseman’s legacy by expanding it with new stories. Black Panther Wakanda Forever “It’s my job as a filmmaker to do something that I have integrity in,” Coogler said. “If I don’t believe in what I’m doing, Black Panther Wakanda Forever it will be difficult for me to make others do their best. In order for them to do their best, they must believe in it. Ultimately, the choices we make must be true to me. Black Panther Wakanda Forever When filmmakers do things that are wrong in their eyes, you can feel it. I would argue that these projects have no chance of working. Black Panther Wakanda Forever ” When EW spoke to Coogler in late September, he was in Los Angeles, still working to put the finishing touches on Wakanda Forever before its release in November. While talking about the film’s themes of loss and maturity, he invoked the ocean, an apt metaphor for a film that spends a lot of time on the water.  “There’s this sense of grief and overwhelming emotion that seems to come in waves,” Coogler says.

“Sometimes the waves can take you where you’re out of control. You think you’re in control, but the water can always remind you that you’re not.” But sometimes, the tide can take you exactly where you want to go. Producer Hannah Beachler and costume designer Ruth E. Carter are back after winning Oscars for their work on the original Black Panther. Not only will they create a new part of Wakanda, but they will also build Talocan from scratch. “We’re diving deep, because we want to do it right,” Beachler says. “I think it’s going to be the best Atlantis you’ve ever seen. Of course with Ryan Coogler at the helm, it’s going to be something special.”

Beachler is skeptical about the details — it’s a Marvel movie, after all — but teases that Wakanda Forever draws inspiration from Steven Spielberg’s Jaws and Close Encounters of the Third Kind, as well as a great movie. Jack Kirby. Black Panther Wakanda Forever For Carter, he often embraces jade and water when he wears the Talocan, referring to underwater creatures such as lionfish and sharks as he creates the feathered headpiece. Black Panther Wakanda Forever The number of underwater scenes also meant that the crew had to test some costumes by putting them in the pool. “You’d put a dress in water, and it would be like ballet,” says Carter. Black Panther Wakanda Forever “It’s like those fish we like to watch on the National Geographic Channel.” The film Talocan also stars Mexican actress Mabel Cadena as Namora and Venezuelan actor Alex Livinalli as Attuma, and Huerta says she hopes Wakanda Forever will be a defining moment.

for Latin American representation, as the original Black Panther was for black representation. Black Panther Wakanda Forever He commends Marvel and Coogler for their care and attention to detail, and for engaging with experts in Mayan culture and design. “You can explore any culture you want, if you have people from that culture and have that knowledge and that experience – not just books, but living – the process is very different,” says Huerta. say. Black Panther Wakanda Forever “That’s what inclusion means. It’s not just putting black people in front of the camera or giving them important roles. This is how you create a movie. Who conducts? Who writes? What is the volume of film production?