Marvel Studios' Kevin Feige provides a potentially revealing description of the upcoming Black Panther solo movie.
One notable aspect amongst a treasure trove of highlights for 2016's Captain America: Civil War is the debut of the live-action realization of Marvel’s Black Panther, as played by Chadwick Boseman. The legendary Marvel character that is widely credited as being the first major superhero of color will join that film’s frenetic, ideologically-motivated melee to whet the appetite of fans for his impending starring debut in 2018. Indeed, that solo outing is starting to sound like quite the unique entry in Marvel expansive cinematic universe.
In an interview featured in the latest issue of Empire(transcribed via CBM), the movie continuity’s ultimate authority in Marvel Studios President, Kevin Feige provided what seems to be an insightful description of the general direction of the Black Panther solo outing, which he identifies as "important." Citing that the film, set in the fictional African nation of Wakanda, will contain a “primarily African-American cast,” Feige implies that the setting itself will be a potent source of character. According to Feige:
“Not only do you get an unbelievable lead character, but you also get all of Wakanda which is a whole new setting and culture to explore.”
If the comics are any indication (and they tend to be,) the culture of Wakanda, which was heavily referenced in 2015’s Avengers: Age of Ultron, will be showcased as an economically emerging, dignified nation, under the royal rule of King T’Chaka and his son, Prince T’Challa. However, the arrival of the sinister, sound-obsessed scientist Ulysses Klaue (played by Andy Serkis in Age of Ultron), will instigate turmoil over its natural resource in the indestructible metal known as vibranium; the substance of which Captain America’s legendary shield was made. As Feige further describes the film’s dynamic:
“It's a big geo-political action adventure that focuses on the family and royal struggle of T'Challa in Wakanda, and what is means to be a king. T'Challa's story is very important to us as it links to the next Avengers films, which is why we brought it forward.”
Thus, besides getting a look into the sprawling African kingdom of Wakanda, we might also see it engulfed in economic politics with potentially deadly consequences, should Klaue get his hands on enough of the vibranium to instigate his malevolent, megalomaniacal experiments to create physical manifestations from sound. Despite the fact that audiences who saw Civil War will have already met Prince T’Challa, who adopts the dark ceremonial nome de guerre of Black Panther, the film’s obligatory origin routine will avoid redundancy by unravelling with an unprecedented amount of international political intrigue.
Indeed, Black Panther sounds like an exciting amalgam of Shakespearean tragedy, global politics and pure action that seems to take a spin on the unconventional narrative approach that was so successful for Kenneth Branagh with the first Thor back in 2011. It will be quite the test for the emerging Creed and Fruitvale Station director, Ryan Coogler.
We'll get the chance to meet Black Panther soon enough when Captain America: Civil War impacts on May 6, 2016. However, the Black Panther solo film won't be bringing its fearsome geopolitical ferocity to theaters until February 16, 2018.
