This year has been a fairly remarkable year for superhero films. “Avengers: Infinity War,” “Deadpool 2,” “Venom,” and “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” have all been well-received, quality films that show the genre is able to explore similar ideas but in completely different ways. Hell, even “Aquaman,” for all its craziness, is still a lot of fun. But without a doubt, the high point of superhero filmmaking in 2018 (and perhaps the last 5 years) is “Black Panther.”
And in honor of “Black Panther” earning two Golden Globe nominations, including Best Picture, on its way to collecting numerous trophies over the next few months, Marvel and Disney have released a new featurette that showcases one of the best parts of the fim – Wakanda. The featurette, we are exclusively bringing our readers, is titled “Welcome to Wakanda” and goes deep into just how filmmaker Ryan Coogler, along with the rest of the cast and crew, were able to make T’Challa’s homeland such a fully realized, beautiful world.
Coogler talks the clear African influences, which he researched with a trip to the continent. Stars Chadwick Boseman and Angela Bassett, along with producer Nate Moore, costume designer Ruth Carter, and production designer Hannah Beachler, discuss how the most technologically advanced country in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is also the one with the deepest history and traditions.
READ MORE: The 25 Best Films Of 2018
What those folks have done with “Black Panther” is create a world, in Wakanda, that not only is a place that you believe exists behind a veil of secrecy in Africa, but also a place that every audience member would live, if given the opportunity. That’s the reason why you can walk down the streets and do the “Wakanda forever!” gesture and people will know exactly what you mean. Wakanda has transcended the film and become a cultural phenomenon. And it’s all down to the hard work from Coogler and Co.
“Black Panther” is available on all platforms now and will likely be considered for most every award over the next few months.
Here’s the synopsis for the film (for those two people that have yet to see it):
BLACK PANTHER is director Ryan Coogler’s take on a modern African hero and a utopian vision of what an uncolonized Africa might look like. The film explores the conflict between two powerful men, one African and one African-American, who are mirror images of each other, each grappling with his own history, home and very identity. When Prince T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman) becomes king of the hidden, technologically advanced kingdom Wakanda, he is forced to defend his throne against rogue mercenary Erik Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan). Wakanda is also alive with strong, intelligent women—led by Danai Gurira and Lupita Nyong’o, to T’Challa’s tech-savvy sister (Letitia Wright) and mother (Angela Bassett)—who are portrayed as equals to the men they protect and advise.