When Black Panther came out in February 2018, it broke box office records and turned its star, Chadwick Boseman, into a cinematic legend. The film is one of the best MCU films to date, with outstanding performances from Boseman and Michael B. Jordan, who played Kilmonger, the villain who kind of had a point. Boseman’s tragic death after a battle with cancer he kept private changed plans for the film’s sequel which was announced in October 2018. Over four years later, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is finally near.
Here’s everything we know about Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, including the cast, plot details, and its lengthy run-time.
When does Wakanda Forever come out?
Wakanda Forever comes to theaters on Friday, November 11, 2022.
Who directed it?
Ryan Coogler returned to direct Wakanda Forever, although it wasn’t easy. Coogler said that he almost quit filmmaking altogether as a result of Chadwick Boseman’s sudden death in 2020.
“I was at a point when I was like, ‘I’m walking away from this business,’” Coogler told Entertainment Weekly. “I didn’t know if I could make another movie period, [let alone] another Black Panther movie, because it hurt a lot. I was like, ‘Man, how could I open myself up to feeling like this again?’ I was poring over a lot of our conversations that we had, towards what I realized was the end of his life,” the director explains. “I decided that it made more sense to keep going,” he said.
What’s the plot?
The film will mirror real life, as the characters grapple with the sudden and tragic loss of T’Challa/Black Panther. The film will also set up a conflict between the nation of Wakanda and Tenoch Huerta’s Namor, the ruler of the underwater kingdom Atlantis (not to be confused with DC’s Aquaman, who is the human-born heir to a different version of Atlantis). In the comics, Black Panther and Namor have always been rivals, and fans have been anticipating the character’s debut in the MCU ever since Black Panther came out in 2018.
Here’s the film’s official synopsis, from Marvel Studios:
Queen Ramonda, Shuri, M’Baku, Okoye and the Dora Milaje fight to protect their nation from intervening world powers in the wake of King T’Challa’s death. As the Wakandans strive to embrace their next chapter, the heroes must band together with Nakia and Everett Ross to forge a new path for their beloved kingdom.
Who is in it?
Returning in their roles from the first film include Angela Bassett, Letitia Wright, Lupita Nyong’o, Dani Gurira, Winston Duke, and Martin Freeman. Joining the cast include I May Destroy You’s Michaela Coel, The West Wing’s Richard Schiff, and, of course, Tenoch Huerta as Namor. Daniel Kaluuya, who played W’Kabi in Black Panther, is not reprising his role. Kaluuya said that he could not appear in the film due to scheduling conflicts with his latest film, Nope.
Who is the new Black Panther?
We do not know for sure, but all signs are pointed toward Shuri (Wright), but the trailer could be deceiving us.
How long is the movie?
Very long, apparently. According to reports, Wakanda Forever is on track to be the second-longest MCU movie ever, right behind 2019’s Avengers: Endgame, which had a run time of three hours and two minutes. The reported run time of Wakanda Forever is two hours and forty-one minutes. So… if you don’t want to miss anything, make sure you use the bathroom before the film starts and don’t consume too many liquids beforehand.
Anything else?
Well, yes. There’s a rumor that Rihanna, who has famously not recorded music in almost seven years, has recorded not one but two songs for the Wakanda Forever soundtrack. And one of the songs will reportedly be featured during the end credits.
