Production officially kicks off for ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’

Production on the sequel to 2018’s cultural phenomenon Black Panther began on Tuesday at Pinewood Studios in Atlanta.

Titled Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, the highly anticipated sequel to the Oscar-winning superhero blockbuster sees director Ryan Coogler return to direct and pen the screenplay, whilst Chadwick Boseman is the only major omission from the cast. It comes after the tragic death of Boseman in August 2020 following a four-year battle with colon cancer.

“It’s clearly very emotional without Chad,” Marvel Studios chief Kevin Feige told the press before the Black Widow Global Fan Event in Los Angeles, “But everyone is also very excited to bring the world of Wakanda back to the public and back to the fans. We’re going to do it in a way that would make Chad proud”.

Daniel Kaluuya, Danai Gurira, Letitia Wright, Lupita Nyong’o, Winston Duke, Florence Kasumba, and Angela Bassett are all expected to return in their respective roles for the sequel set for release in summer 2022.

A cultural sensation upon its release in February 2018, Black Panther represented the very first superhero film led by a black cast and became a critical and commercial success, earning $1.34 billion worldwide as well as seven Academy Award nominations. The first superhero movie ever to be recognised in the Best Picture category, although Coogler’s film did not win the coveted award, the production team did pick up Oscars for score, costume design and production design.

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever continues Disney and Marvel’s industry dominance, becoming one of 26 titles slated for theatrical release and streaming on Disney+ in the near future. It sits alongside the announcement of a TV series set within the world of Wakanda that will premiere on the streaming service.

Speaking upon the signing of the deal, director Ryan Coogler commented, “We are especially excited that we will be taking our first leap with Kevin Feige, Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso…We’re already in the mix on some projects that we can’t wait to share”.

Source: FaroutMagazine