Regardless of his level of Marvel fandom, Chadwick Boseman’s death was certainly a huge blow to a lot of people, so it makes sense that T’Challa’s death in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever it was made to sound a bit almost devastating. After the actor’s sudden death in August 2020, it was a question of whether black panther 2 would move forward, as well as who (if anyone) could take on the mantle of Wakanda’s new hero. Director Ryan Coogler and screenwriter Joe Robert Cole have explained how it was decided that the young king’s death would be handled in the MCU sequel.
wakanda foreverThe opening of focuses on T’Challa’s death, giving fans just enough time to prepare as Shuri furiously tries to find a cure for her brother’s virus and her rapidly declining health. Joe Robert Cole said The New York Times how the creative team decided how and why this long-awaited scene would play out, noting that it marked the beginning of an evolved version of Shuri. In his words:
Pretty much everyone was waiting to see how we handled it, so doing it soon made sense. As for the characters, we needed to present a different version of Shuri. We show the moment she becomes a different person from the person we met. She is the smartest person in the world but she can’t save her brother from her. What does she do to you?
The scene was truly heartbreaking, as viewers already knew what the end result was going to be, even if it wasn’t clear exactly how or when. With Shuri at the helm, her genius has been tested, with still insufficient knowledge and skill to reverse such a profound tragedy. So instead of telling all about T’Challa’s death, which already hurt enough, the sequence was essentially a way to break Letitia Wright’s character to the point where she could rise up to take on the mantle of Black Panther.
As for why they decided to have T’Challa die of a physical illness, Ryan Coogler explains that it was as much an internal struggle for Shuri as it was for her brother, as he is about to bring her closer. to assume her role. like the Black Panther, not to get her out of her to avenge her death in anger. According to Coogler:
If someone else eliminated T’Challa, Shuri would go after that person. We wanted it to be a situation where the only place to go was inside.
I really wonder how different the movie would have been if the creative team had chosen to handle T’Challa’s death another way, as one or more directly responsible antagonists. In theory, Cole could still have found a way to trigger the revenge mission with Shuri’s infighting, but that’s about it for now. What if…? universe I guess.
If the opening wasn’t emotional enough, wakanda foreverThe end credits scene probably made fans cry too. (I would know, since I was one of them). The finale introduced T’Challa and Nakia’s son, with that father-son bond meant to be integral to the sequel’s narrative were it not for the death of Chadwick Boseman. It’s sad to think of “what could have been” but the end result was a beautiful homage to Boseman and really showcased Letitia Wright’s Shuri in a great way.
Make sure you sign up for Disney+ if you haven’t already, so you’ll be the first to see Black Panther: Wakanda Forever when added to the stream, which should happen on January 20th. Check out all the other upcoming Marvel Phase 5 and 6 movies while you wait!
Source: Cinemablend
