Very few, if any, superhero blockbusters have come bearing the weight of expectation quite like that of upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe sequel Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
From a purely business standpoint, it’s the follow-up to one of the highest-grossing movies in history that became a cultural phenomenon on its way to a box office haul north of $1.3 billion, as well as ranking as the single best-reviewed feature film in the MCU’s back catalogue, not to mention the first comic book adaptation to land an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture.
Outside of that, the cast and crew had to deal with the tragic death of star Chadwick Boseman, with Wakanda Forever facing the unwanted task of delivering a worthy successor to an iconic opening chapter that pushes both the Black Panther mythology and the franchise itself forward, while still paying tribute to the legacy of its lead.
That’s not an easy thing to do by any stretch of the imagination, but Kevin Feige has something different on his mind when he shared his biggest hopes for the movie during a red carpet interview with Variety.
“I want it to touch people the way the first film did, and I want them to really experience the multi-generational story that Mr. Coogler has put together.”
If Wakanda Forever can even come close to having the impact that its predecessor did on the public consciousness, then everyone at Marvel involved in the production can pat themselves on the back for a job incredibly well done. Based on the first wave of reactions, though, it looks as though they’ve pulled it off in style.
