Black Panther: Wakanda Forever came, and it conquered fans’ hearts. The movie successfully expands the MCU by introducing a new culture, and a myriad of new characters. Director Ryan Coogler seamlessly blends in old characters with new and has delivered another box office hit that pays homage to the OG Black Panther, late actor Chadwick Boseman, who we lost to cancer. Wakanda Forever still manages to be a celebration of the diverse cultures the sequel showcases. Actor Lupita Nyong’o shared some behind-the-scenes images on Instagram from the set of the sequel to give fans an extra dose of what transpired off-screen.
In the first image, we see the actor with Michaela Coel, who has been introduced as Aneka in the franchise. Another sees her with Winston duke in his M’Baku costume. We also get a glimpse of the Dora Milaje and Florence Kasumba’s Ayo in between shots. While another sees Duke and Dania Gurira in their updated costumes as M’Baku and Midnight Angel.
In Wakanda Forever, we see the titular kingdom rising up against external forces trying to take advantage of the death of its beloved king. As the rest of the world goes after the precious Vibranium, another underwater kingdom, Talokan is also under threat. Namor, the ruler of the underwater kingdom, is unsure of Wakanda’s allegiance and comes for the surface world. Coogler did a fantastic job of giving the Submariner, Mesoamerican roots and established him as K’uk’ulkan, the feathered serpent god of the Mayans. As Namor, a god and a mutant who is as strong as Thor or Hulk comes for Wakanda, Shuri rises as its new protector.
The highly appreciated movie has done exceptionally well since its debut by crossing $367 million at the domestic box office and has garnered over $675 million at the global box office. The movie beautifully deals with themes of loss, sorrow, and grief while still incorporating magnificent set pieces and action sequences. The cast has been highly acclaimed for their performances with some performances like Angela Bassett’s garnering Academy Award chatter.
Wakanda Forever features returning cast members such as Nyong’o as wardog Nakia, Duke as M’Baku, Bassett as Queen Ramonda, Letitia Wright as Shuri, and Martin Freeman as Everett Ross. The feature also introduces Tenoch Huerta Mejía as Namor, and Dominique Thorne as Riri Williams/Ironheart.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is currently in theaters. You can check out behind-the-scenes images below: