Black Panther

Black Panther is a 2018 Marvel Studios film directed by Ryan Coogler, who co-wrote the screenplay with Joe Robert Cole. It stars Chadwick Boseman as T’Challa, the king and protector of Wakanda, a technologically advanced African nation that has concealed its wealth and vibranium resources from the outside world. The film follows T’Challa shortly after the death of his father, T’Chaka, as he returns home to undergo the ritual challenge that confirms his right to rule. At the heart of the story is Erik Killmonger, played by Michael B. Jordan. Born N’Jadaka, he is T’Challa’s cousin and the son of N’Jobu, T’Chaka’s brother. After discovering Wakanda’s secrets, Killmonger challenges T’Challa for the throne. His anger is rooted in his abandonment in Oakland, California, and in his belief that Wakanda should use its power to arm oppressed people worldwide. Killmonger defeats T’Challa in ritual combat and takes the mantle of Black Panther, prompting T’Challa’s allies to organize resistance. Those allies include Nakia (Lupita Nyong’o), a Wakandan spy; Okoye (Danai Gurira), general of the Dora Milaje; Shuri (Letitia Wright), T’Challa’s inventive younger sister; and M’Baku (Winston Duke), leader of the Jabari tribe. Martin Freeman plays CIA agent Everett K. Ross, while Andy Serkis reprises Ulysses Klaue, a vibranium smuggler previously seen in Avengers: Age of Ultron. Forest Whitaker portrays Zuri, a Wakandan elder whose knowledge of N’Jobu’s past helps explain the family conflict. Black Panther became a major commercial and cultural event. Released in the United States on February 16, 2018, it grossed more than $1.3 billion worldwide. It was the first superhero film nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture. At the 91st Academy Awards, it won Oscars for Best Costume Design, Production Design, and Original Score. Ruth E. Carter won for costume design, Hannah Beachler and Jay Hart won for production design, and Ludwig Göransson won for score. The film’s Wakanda was shaped through detailed design choices rather than being presented as a single generalized African culture. Coogler and his collaborators drew research inspiration from multiple African cultures, while creating a fictional nation. The final conflict brings T’Challa back to the throne, but changes his policy: he establishes a Wakandan outreach center in Oakland. In the mid-credits scene, he addresses the United Nations and declares that Wakanda will no longer remain isolated. The film was followed by Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, released in 2022 after Boseman’s tragic death in 2020.