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Release Date: February 16, 2018

Director: Ryan Coogler

Screenplay: Ryan Coogler & Joe Robert Cole

Cast:
Chadwick Boseman - T'Challa / Black Panther
Michael B. Jordan - Erik Killmonger
Winston Duke - M'Baku / Man-Ape
Lupita Nyong'o - Nakia
Danai Gurira - Okoye
Florence Kasumba - Ayo
Daniel Kaluuya - W'Kabi
Angela Bassett - Ramonda (T'Challa's mother)
Forest Whitaker - Zuri
Letitia Wright - Shuri (T'Challa's sister)
Andy Serkis - Ulysses Klaue
Martin Freeman - Everett K. Ross


Official Synopsis:
"After the events of Marvel's Captain America: Civil War, King T'Challa returns home to the reclusive, technologically advanced African nation of Wakanda to serve as his country's new leader. However, T'Challa soon finds that he is challenged for the throne from factions within his own country. When two foes conspire to destroy Wakanda, the hero known as Black Panther must team up with C.I.A. agent Everett K. Ross and members of the Dora Milaje, Wakanadan special forces, to prevent Wakanda from being dragged into a world war."




Concept Art:




Chadwick Boseman's official introduction as Black Panther:

There's also some pretty cool concept art of Black Panther that was revealed yesterday.

T'Challa nailed on to repair Cap's busted up shield in AoU !

Smart choice. Creed was one of the best movies of 2015.

Teaser Trailer:




EW trailer breakdown Lots of interesting details with commentary from director Ryan Coogler.

All hail the King

Entertainment Weekly cover issue:











Interview excerpts:

Chadwick Boseman

Very solid movie but I don't feel it's the masterpiece many of the reviews are claiming.

The art direction, cinematography, costumes, cast and music were all standouts. The film has some very unique and beautiful imagery.

If there's one area I feel Ryan Coogler could improve on if he returns for a sequel would be the action set pieces. They were not bad but I just didn't feel they were anything that we haven't seen before and the hand to hand fights were a let down and lacked a certain intensity and ferocity. Winter Soldier still holds the title in that department. The final fight between T'Challa and Killmonger was also rather tame and the CG on the panther suits was kinda spotty during this scene. I did get a kick out of armored rhinos stampeding through the final battle though.

One thing I was unclear on was the whole Killmonger/Klaue subplot. If Killmonger was always intending to use Klaue to get into Wakanda, why not just kill him to begin with? What was the whole point of stealing the old vibranium axe from the museum and then breaking Klaue out of CIA custody only to kill him right after that? I'll have to pay closer attention to this on the next viewing.

I also don't feel Killmonger was as great a villain as is being proclaimed. Yes, he had more of a sympathetic background and motivation but I didn't find the character all that memorable overall. Michael B. Jordan gave a good performance though. I was kinda more disappointed that they killed off Klaue to be honest. I liked how bonkers Andy Serkis portrayed him.

No mention of the Soul Stone. However given the huge siege Wakanda is under in the IW trailer there's still a chance it might be hidden there, unless Thanos just wants to take Wakanda out due to its huge supply of vibranium. While I think it's sort of ridiculous the possibility of three stones being hidden on Earth it would make sense for the Soul Stone to be buried in Wakanda given that the purple heart shaped herbs grant the panthers the ability to commune with past panther souls. The herbs may be imbued with some of the Soul Stone's power. We'll see.

Despite my minor quibbles it's still a very good film for T'Challa's first solo outing and another fine addition to the MCU saga. Get out and see it.