The stars of Black Panther kicked off the movie’s international tour this week in South Korea, where key action scenes were shot, and were eager to discuss the political aspects of Marvel’s most diverse franchise.
“My own personal culture and heritage is something I’ve always appreciated since I was very young and I’ve always loved superhero comic books and movies. So it’s a blessing to be able to merge these two ideas into one project. It was really surreal to be a part of this process,” director Ryan Coogler told reporters during the Asia junket held Monday in Seoul. The filmmaker added how he was in his northern California hometown with his wife when he received the directing job offer from Marvel, and the first thing he did was visit the comic book store where he first came across the original Black Panther books as a kid.
Chadwick Boseman, who plays the lead role of the shadowy superhero as well as T’Challa, the young ruler of the fictional African nation of Wakanda, also expressed his excitement of being part of the franchise. “I never said yes to any role without reading the script, without knowing the director,” he said about agreeing to take part in the project while attending a red-carpet event in Switzerland.The actor described the film as a “revolutionary” superhero film both in terms of the story itself and also in the way it is perceived in the real word, about the notion of Africa being the setting for a technologically advanced country like Wakanda.
One Korean reporter commented that the film sheds light on African-American history, with Black Panther/T’Challa being similar to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Erik Killmonger (the supervillain posing a threat to Wakanda’s authorities) to Malcolm X.
“I understand [this observation] from an emotional standpoint and in terms of [the characters’] demeanor standpoint but not in terms of philosophy,” said Boseman, noting a key difference. “Wakanda didn’t have to deal with colonialism and slavery because of its isolationism, whereas Dr. King and Malcom X had to deal with these issues. [Black Panther and Erik Killmonger’s] reality is not at all dictated by European white society. These two characters exist in their own mythology. Also, Malcolm X was never as militant, as ruthless as Erik Killmonger.”
Michael B. Jordan, who appears as the vengeful Erik Killmonger, offered his view of his character. “Erik grew up in a systematic depression, he had a lot of things taken away,” he said, explaining how there are two sides of a conversation and the villain “was willing to go through any lengths to make his point of view heard.”
Boseman emphasized how “the most important thing about this movie is the debate it will be starting and the discussion it will be starting.” “It’s not just a popcorn movie for people to enjoy,” he said.
In addition to featuring a diverse cast, Black Panther has been noted for featuring a strong female lead.
said her character was not a typical heroine. “[She] is a war dog, which means that she is an undercover spy for Wakanda. She goes out into the world to places like Korea,” said the Oscar-winning actress. “She has a special relationship with T’Challa and what I love about that relationship is that it’s not your average, you know, sweetheart story [with a] damsel in distress. They have a history but she is a reliable ear for him,” she said.
A brand new TV spot for Thor Ragnarok Full movie shows the new King of Wakanda return to his home country after the death of his father in Civil War. Check it out in the video player above.
In the clip, we see T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman), Nakia (Lupita Nyong’o), and Okoye (Danai Gurira) arrive in their home country as they walk past the Dora Milaje, followed by quick shots of the king receiving a new Vibranium-enhanced costume from his sister Shuri (Letitia Wright).
“The Black Panther lives,” Shuri declares at one point.
There are also quick shots of Michael B. Jordan as Erik Killmonger, seemingly challenging T’Challa, as well as scenes of the Wakandan forces united in a battle cry pronounced by Okoye
As we get closer to the premiere of the film, we are starting to learn more about how this movie sets up the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige assured that Black Panther would stand on its own, though some of its elements would carry over into Avengers: Infinity War. We’ve already seen glimpses of Wakanda in the trailer, including Okoye fighting alongside Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, but Letitia Wright also admitted that she would be in the next crossover epic.
“It was amazing,” Wright said of filming the new movie. “It was amazing. It was surreal to just see certain characters that I’d been watching as an audience member for years and then be opposite them. I can’t say who but it was amazing. I keep using the word amazing today. I just have to walk around with a sign that says, ‘Black Panther and the whole Marvel experience of working on Avengers: Infinity War was also amazing!’ It was amazing.”Wright even Coco 2017 Full Movie teased that her character might be responsible for Captain America’s new shield.