Marvel Studios and possibly the superhero genre as a whole experienced a paradigm shift with the release of the first Black Panther film.
It’s unlikely that even Disney expected Black Pantherto open north of $200 million or that it would go on to become the first superhero movie nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars. Black Panther was released in February and (at least in the minds of some fans) in the shadow of what was the latest Avengers movie.
However, we are now in the shadow of a genuine, regal MCU film. Nevertheless, the path leading up to its sequel has been troubled by tragedy.
What became Black Panther: Wakanda Forever may not have been exactly what director and co-writer Ryan Coogler had in mind when he first began writing it, but it undoubtedly changed in the wake of the tragic death of star Chadwick Boseman, who passed away in 2020 at the age of just 43 after a protracted, secret battle with cancer.
As a result, Black Panther: Wakanda Foreverbecame as much a memorial to Boseman’s legacy as it is a continuation of the main storyline of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Even so, the film finds grace as it walks a fine line between joy and mourning, daydreaming and planning for the future. And sure, it assumes you are familiar with King T Challa (played by Chadwick Boseman) and other characters from the bigger MCU. Here are the films you must have seen, or perhaps rewatched, before watching Black Panther 2 in a theatre.
Black Panther (2018)
Does it matter to comprehend Black Panther 2?
Of course!
Captain America: Civil War (2016)
Why you should see it: My darling summer child, if you haven’t seen Black Panther, you will be totally lost while watching the sequel.
Princess Shuri (Letitia Wright), Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett), Nakia (Lupita Nyong’o), and Okoye (Danai Gurira) are just a few of the important characters of Wakanda Forever who are introduced here.
The sequel assumes that you are already familiar with the characters, their connections, and Wakandan rites, traditions, and customs. It’s also crucial to recall what Killmonger, the antagonist of this film, did to the Heart-Shaped Herbs in 2018.
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Black Widow (2021)
T Challa, played by Boseman, appeared in the first film just in a supporting capacity. T Challa, the proud son of King T Chaka, is still a prince at the start of Captain America: Civil War (John Kani).
Understanding how other characters in Wakanda Forever respond to the loss of T Challa and their mourning depends on how T Challa responds to the death of King T Chaka, the former Black Panther. Additionally, it helps viewers comprehend Wakanda’s position within the MCU and all the geopolitics that entails.
Now, if you want to delve a little further, there are other MCU works that could aid in your comprehension of some of the characters that appear and the circumstances hinted at in Wakanda Forever.
If you truly feel like delving deeper into what we see in this movie, feel free to check out these projects if you haven’t previously because there has been a definite “geopolitical” component to MCU Phase 4. Minor Black Panther 2 spoilers to follow…
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The Falcon & The Winter Soldier (2021)
Minor spoilers for Black Panther 2 start now!
Does it matter to comprehend Black Panther 2?
Not especially, but it is beneficial!