Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is a 2022 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character Black Panther. Produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, it is the sequel to Black Panther (2018) and the 30th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Directed by Ryan Coogler, who co-wrote the screenplay with Joe Robert Cole, the film stars Letitia Wright, Lupita Nyong'o, Danai Gurira, Winston Duke, Florence Kasumba, Dominique Thorne, Michaela Coel, Tenoch Huerta, Martin Freeman, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and Angela Bassett. In the film, the leaders of Wakanda fight to protect their nation in the wake of King T'Challa's death.
Ideas for a sequel began after the release of Black Panther in February 2018. Coogler negotiated to return as director in the following months, and Marvel Studios officially confirmed the sequel's development in mid-2019. Plans for the film changed in August 2020 when Black Panther star Chadwick Boseman died from colon cancer, with Marvel choosing not to recast his role of T'Challa. Other main cast members from the first film were confirmed to return by that November, and the title was announced in May 2021. Production initially took place from late June to early November 2021, in Atlanta and Brunswick, Georgia, as well as around Massachusetts, before a hiatus to allow Wright to recover from an injury sustained during filming. Production resumed by mid-January 2022 and wrapped in late March in Puerto Rico.
Lego Black Panther Wakanda Forever premiered at the El Capitan Theatre and the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on October 26, 2022, and was released in the United States on November 11, 2022, as the final film in Phase Four of the MCU. The film received positive reviews from critics, with praise towards Coogler's direction, the action sequences, the cast's performances (particularly those of Bassett and Huerta), emotional weight, musical score, and its tributes to Boseman. The film has grossed over $330 million worldwide.
T'Challa, king of Wakanda, is suffering from a fatal illness. His sister, Shuri, attempts to synthetically recreate the "heart-shaped herb" after it was destroyed by Killmonger, in hopes of curing T'Challa, but fails to do so before he succumbs.
One year later, Wakanda is under pressure from other nations to share their vibranium, with some parties attempting to steal it by force. Queen Ramonda implores Shuri to continue her research on the heart-shaped herb, hoping to create a new Black Panther that will defend Wakanda, but she refuses due to her belief that the Black Panther is a figure of the past. In the Atlantic Ocean, the CIA and U.S. Navy SEALs utilize a vibranium-detecting machine to locate a potential vibranium deposit underwater. The expedition is attacked and killed by a group of blue-skinned water-breathing superhumans led by Namor, with the CIA believing Wakanda to be responsible. Namor confronts Ramonda and Shuri, easily bypassing Wakanda's advanced security. Blaming Wakanda for the vibranium race, he gives them an ultimatum: find and give him the scientist responsible for the vibranium-detecting machine, or he will attack Wakanda.
Shuri and Okoye learn from CIA agent Everett K. Ross that the scientist in question is Riri Williams, a student at MIT, and arrives at the university to confront her. The group is pursued by the FBI and then Namor's warriors, who defeat Okoye before taking Shuri and Williams underwater to meet Namor. Angered by Okoye's failure to protect Shuri, Ramonda strips her of her title as general of the Dora Milaje and seeks out Nakia, who has been living in Haiti since the Blip. Namor shows Shuri his vibranium-rich underwater kingdom of Talokan, which he has protected for centuries from discovery by the world. Bitter at the surface world that once rejected him, Namor proposes an alliance with Wakanda against the rest of the world but threatens to destroy Wakanda first if they refuse. Nakia helps Shuri and Williams escape, and Namor retaliates with an attack against the capital of Wakanda, during which Ramonda drowns saving Williams. Namor vows to return in a week with his full army, and the citizens of Wakanda relocate to the Jabari mountains for their safety.
Meanwhile, Ross is arrested by his ex-wife and director of the CIA, Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, for secretly exchanging classified intelligence with the Wakandans. Using a remnant of the herb that gave Namor's people their superhuman abilities, Shuri reconstructs the heart-shaped herb and ingests it, gaining superhuman abilities and seeing a vision of Killmonger in the Ancestral Plane, who urges her to seek revenge. Shuri dons a new Black Panther suit and is accepted by the other Wakandan tribes as the Black Panther. Despite M'Baku's urges for peace, Shuri is determined to exact vengeance on Namor for Ramonda's death and orders an immediate counterattack on Talokan. Preparing for battle, with Ayo assuming the role of General of the Dora Milaje, Shuri bestows the Midnight Angel armor upon Okoye, who in turn recruits Dora member Aneka to join her. Williams creates an Iron Man-esque powered exoskeleton to aid the Wakandans.
The Wakandans board a seafaring vessel and lure Namor and his warriors to the surface. A battle ensues, and Shuri traps Namor in a fighter aircraft, intending to dry him out and weaken him. The pair crashes on a desert beach and fight. Shuri gains the upper hand, but realizes the similarities between their paths and decides to spare Namor's life, offering him a peaceful alliance. Namor accepts, and the battle ends. Namor's cousin, Namora, is upset at Namor's surrender, but Namor reassures her that their new alliance will allow them to conquer the surface world one day. Williams returns to MIT, leaving her suit behind, while Okoye rescues Ross from captivity.
In Shuri's absence, M'Baku steps forward to challenge for the throne. Shuri visits Nakia in Haiti where she burns her funeral ceremonial robe in accordance with Ramonda's wishes, allowing herself to finally grieve T'Challa. In a mid-credits scene, Shuri learns that Nakia had a son with T'Challa, named Toussaint, who Nakia has been raising in secret far from the pressure of the throne. Toussaint reveals his Wakandan name is T'Challa.
CAST:
The princess and later queen of Wakanda who designs new technology for the nation. Wright was given a larger role in the film following the death of Chadwick Boseman, who starred in previous MCU media as Shuri's older brother T'Challa / Black Panther. Wright said Shuri turns to her technology as a way to grieve T'Challa. A War Dog, an undercover spy for Wakanda, from the River Tribe. Nyong'o said Nakia has "matured" following both the Blip and the death of T'Challa, explaining that her character's "priorities have shifted and sharpened" while adding that Nakia still remains "the one you want to call when you're in trouble". The general of the Dora Milaje, Wakanda's all-female special forces. Okoye later takes on the mantle of the Midnight Angels, along with Aneka. It is revealed in the film that Okoye's husband, W'Kabi, was imprisoned following the events of the previous film. Gurira said the film would explore "many facets" of Okoye's humanity. A powerful warrior and leader of Wakanda's mountain tribe, the Jabari. Duke indicated that following the Jabari's involvement in the events of Avengers: Infinity War (2018) and Avengers: Endgame (2019), the tribe is no longer isolated from the rest of Wakanda. He also felt M'Baku was trying to figure "out how to move forward" in this new world for Wakanda, much like many in the real world were trying to do in regards to the COVID-19 pandemic. Florence Kasumba as Ayo: A member and the second-in-command who later becomes the general of the Dora Milaje after Okoye is stripped of her duties. She is romantically involved with Aneka. An MIT student and genius inventor from Chicago who creates a suit of armor that rivals the one built by Tony Stark / Iron Man. Director Ryan Coogler noted that Williams is a foil to Shuri, adding "there's a thread of similarity" between the two, but are "also very, very different", with Williams and Shuri's relationship representing a similar exploration of the "diversity of the Black experience" as T'Challa and Killmonger's relationship did in Black Panther (2018). A Wakandan warrior and member of the Dora Milaje. Aneka later takes upon the mantle of the Midnight Angels, along with Okoye. Aneka is romantically involved with Ayo. Coel was drawn to the character being queer as in the comics, and Coogler described Aneka as "kind of a rebel".
The king of Talokan, an ancient civilization of underwater dwelling people, who refer to him as the feathered serpent god K'uk'ulkan. Huerta said Namor decides to get involved in the surface world after T'Challa publicly reveals the truth of Wakanda at the end of the first film, which consequently puts Talokan in "jeopardy", leading Namor and his people to "take action to protect themselves". Huerta also confirmed that the character is a mutant as in the comics. Huerta called Namor an anti-hero, explaining that it was important to both him and Coogler to humanize the character by making his motivations understandable despite him having an antagonistic role in the film. Coogler was enthused to include Namor's "really unique features" from the comics, including his ankle wings and pointy ears. He also described the character as "kind of an asshole, kind of romantic, and just incredibly powerful". Huerta learned a Mayan language for the role, as well as how to swim. The Sovereign Queen Mother of Wakanda who is grieving the death of her son T'Challa. Bassett explained that Ramonda would be trying to balance leading her people, being a mother to Shuri, and keeping threats to Wakanda "at bay", all while grieving the death of T'Challa, which is "a lot for her to handle".
Additionally, Michael B. Jordan reprises his MCU role as N'Jadaka / Erik "Killmonger" Stevens. Isaach de Bankolé, Dorothy Steel (in her final, posthumous role), and Danny Sapani reprise their roles as the Wakandan River Tribe, Merchant Tribe, and Border Tribe elders, respectively. Connie Chiume reprises her role as Zawavari, previously the Mining Tribe Elder, but now the Elder Statesman, taking over the role held by Zuri from the first film. Mabel Cadena portrays Namor's cousin Namora, while Alex Livinalli portrays the Talokanil warrior Attuma, and María Mercedes Coroy portrays Princess Fen, Namor's mother. Lake Bell and Robert John Burke appear as Dr. Graham and Smitty, respectively, a pair of CIA officials in charge of the vibranium mining operation. Richard Schiff appears as the U.S. Secretary of State, while Kamaru Usman appears as a naval officer. Comedian Trevor Noah reprises his role from the first film as Griot, an A.I. developed by Shuri. Archive footage from previous MCU films of Boseman as T'Challa / Black Panther is used in the film's ending, with Divine Love Konadu-Sun appearing in the mid-credits scene as Toussaint, T'Challa and Nakia's son.
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