Marvel’s Black Panther has been described as many things – an operatic family drama, a fantasy-fuelled epic, and the first mainstream black superhero movie (Blade notwithstanding).
That’s a historic, revolutionary achievement in and of itself, and moviegoers all over the world are eagerly anticipating Ryan Coogler’s spinoff with an enthusiasm that’s not often seen in Western cinema – let alone for a film that is, essentially, the 18th instalment in a 10-year franchise. And it’s that legacy that was woven into the fabric of Black Panther‘s final trailer.
As promised, Marvel unleashed said promo via ESPN late last night, and to add context to the footage, Ryan Coogler has offered some insight into the film’s story, which kicks off immediately after the events of Captain America: Civil War.
The film will take place basically immediately after Civil War. In many ways, he’s the same guy. What I think is more important, and I was talking to my brother Keenan about it, who works with me, you get to see T’Challa at almost from a ground level. You get to see him and how he is around the people who he loves, how he is when he’s comfortable.
And make no mistake, T’Challa has matured since his time spent with the Avengers. Moreover, Black Panther presents a deep dive into Chadwick Boseman’s character and the lush, fictional realm of Wakanda.
In Civil War, he was outside of Wakanda. He was in a place that he didn’t want to be and his father gets killed. The whole film, he’s on a mission. He’s a man on a mission. He’s tortured; he’s a man of few words. I think that that was something that made him appealing in that film.
This is an origin story, after all, and considering Infinity War is right around the corner, we imagine Marvel fans will be flocking to their nearest multiplexes to catch Black Panther on the silver screen.
In closing, here’s what Coogler had to share about T’Challa’s arc:
In this film, it’s the same guy, but you’re seeing all of the layers pulled back. The film’s from his perspective and he’s surrounded by people who he loves and cares for. It’s just a much more personal perspective on him. You see him go through the journey of taking on the greatest responsibility that a person can have, the responsibility of leading a country. You see him go through the full weight of that in the film.
Featuring a cast comprised of Chadwick Boseman, Lupita Nyong’o (The Last Jedi), Martin Freeman, Angela Bassett, Forest Whitaker, Andy Serkis and Michael B. Jordan as the villainous Erik Killmonger, Black Panther will make a beeline for US theaters on February 16th – one week after its premiere across the pond.