When Black Panther was released in 2018, it united Black people across the diaspora with a shared pride in seeing a superhero film starring African and African American actors. This time, the cast and crew of the film’s sequel, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, will once again bring audiences together around a shared theme: grief.
You’ll be hard-pressed to find viewers who disagree that the 2022 follow-up makes good on that intention, particularly regarding honoring the original Black Panther, Chadwick Boseman. For Coogler and the cast, being able to come together on set and remember his impact, not only on this franchise but as a human being, was healing.