The new Black Panther trailer took us to Wakanda and we never want to leave! Let’s talk about all our favorite things.
What do you know about Wakanda?
Friends, the time has come for us to journey to Wakanda and I cannot tell you how exciting this is! I’m a massive Afrophile, so I adore the idea of having the continent, societies, and people represented in a big way. This may be fictional, but several African cultures are melded to produce what we know as Wakanda. At the same time, quite a number of African actors have been tapped for meaningful roles in the film, including Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira, Daniel Kaluuya, and Florence Kasumba. HERE FOR IT.
Back in October 2014 when Marvel announced their Phase 3 slate, Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans helped introduce us to the new Black Panther, Chadwick Boseman. At that time, we learned that T’Challa would play a significant role in Captain America: Civil War before getting his own feature film.
Wakanda is actually first introduced in the Marvel Cinematic Universe in Avengers: Age of Ultron. Ultron is searching for vibranium with which to make his new body (one of the strongest and most versatile metals in the world, and what Cap’s shield is made from). One of the only major stores of vibranium is in Wakanda, and when the Avengers track Ultron to the African nation, all hell breaks loose as Bruce Banner Hulks out. Iron Man reins him in (using his Hulkbuster suit), but in the process destroys miles and miles of the cityscape.
Incidentally, this major faux pas comes back to haunt the Avengers. After another pseudo-botched mission in Lagos, Nigeria at the beginning of Civil War (where Wakandan delegates are killed), King T’Chaka calls upon the international community to monitor enhanced individuals. T’Challa assumes his father’s mission after T’Chaka is killed by a saboteur posing as Winter Soldier/Bucky Barnes.
At the end of Civil War, we return to Wakanda where T’Challa has agreed to help protect Bucky.
By the time we get to the events of Black Panther, T’Challa is in the process of trying to assume the Wakandan throne, but faces a major challenge when an old foe returns.
In the first teaser trailer, we see Wakanda is a very technologically advanced society, but isolationist as well–an attempt to protect themselves and their resources from centuries of attempts at colonialism and plunder. Black Panther, the superhero, has always been at the forefront of those efforts. Now, we get to watch T’Challa take his place in that long, honored tradition:
And it’s hard for a good man to be a king.
Real talk from Zuri (Forest Whitaker), warrior and statesman.
Can we talk about the trailer, itself? Ryan Coogler and his team have done the damn thing in bringing Wakanda to life. This is a place I definitely want to be, chilling with T’Challa, Nakia (Lupita), Okoye (Danai), and the whole Dora Milaje! Plus, I know I’m about to have a hate-love relationship with Erik Killmonger because Michael B. Jordan is too fierce and too fine in this role as T’Challa’s archenemy.
Basically, I need Black Panther in my life ASAP and am counting down to February 16, 2018 like it’s my job!
What do you think of the new teaser trailer? Share your thoughts and flails with us in comments!
Marvel Studios’ “Black Panther” follows T’Challa who, after the death of his father, the King of Wakanda, returns home to the isolated, technologically advanced African nation to succeed to the throne and take his rightful place as king. But when a powerful old enemy reappears, T’Challa’s mettle as king-and Black Panther-is tested when he is drawn into a formidable conflict that puts the fate of Wakanda and the entire world at risk. Faced with treachery and danger, the young king must rally his allies and release
the full power of Black Panther to defeat his foes and secure the safety of his people and their way of life.
“Black Panther” stars Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira, Martin Freeman, Daniel Kaluuya, Letitia Wright, Winston Duke, with Angela Bassett, with Forest Whitaker, and Andy Serkis.
The film is directed by Ryan Coogler and produced by Kevin Feige with Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso, Nate Moore, Jeffrey Chernov and Stan Lee serving as executive producers. Ryan Coogler & Joe Robert Cole wrote the screenplay.