by Andy Thai
Black Panther: protector, warrior, and king. Not only is he Marvel’s first superhero of African descent, he’s also the first for mainstream American comics. It was about time the character featured in his own film. Wesley Snipes tried to get one made during the ‘90s, but it never eventuated. In October 2014, Black Panther was revealed to be a part of Phase Three of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with a release date of 3 November 2017. It would later be pushed back to 6 July 2018 before settling on 16 February 2018.
Ava DuVernay was considered to direct, but eventually passed on the project, not wanting to compromise her vision despite seeing the cultural impact the film could have. F Gary Gray was subsequently sought after, but chose to direct The Fate of the Furious (2017) instead. Ryan Coogler would be announced as the director in January 2016. Coogler was familiar with Black Panther having discovered the character as a kid. He had been courted for several months, but at one point the negotiations stagnated. The critical acclaim of Creed (2015), however, saw them recommence. A graduate of the USC School of Cinematic Arts, Coogler came to prominence with his first feature film, Fruitvale Station (2013), which won the Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award for a dramatic film at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival.
To Coogler, Black Panther would deal with issues of identity and black culture. To that end the director ensured Wakanda was rooted in reality, even though it was a technologically advanced nation. Coogler went to Africa for research, visiting the countries of Kenya, Lesotho, and South Africa. Characters would also speak Xhosa (an official language of South Africa and Zimbabwe), while the Jabari tribe would speak Igbo (a native language of Nigeria), which represents the tribe’s separateness from others in Wakanda.
Chadwick Boseman returns as T’Challa/Black Panther, with many other black actors cast in major roles. Lupita Nyong’o was cast as Nakia, a Wakandan spy and T’Challa’s former lover. The Academy-Award-winning actress learnt how to speak Hausa and trained in judo and silat to prepare for the part. The role of Okoye, head of the Dora Milaje, went to Danai Gurira, with Coogler having her in mind after seeing her in Mother of George (2013). Letitia Wright and Angela Bassett were cast as Shuri and Ramonda respectively. W’Kabi—T’Challa’s best friend—would be played by Daniel Kaluuya; Forest Whitaker was cast as Zuri, Wakanda’s spiritual leader; and Winston Duke was cast as M’Baku, leader of the Jabari tribe.
A comic book reader in his youth, Michael B Jordon—who previously appeared as the Human Torch in Fantastic Four (2015)—would play Erik Killmonger. The role sees Jordan reunite with Coogler, having appeared in his previous two films. To prepare, the actor listened to speeches by Fred Hampton, Huey P Newton, Malcolm X, and Marcus Garvey. Jordon also got into a lonely mindset, isolating himself and shutting himself off from emotions such as love, for which he needed therapy to help him get out of after filming wrapped. Andy Serkis and Martin Freeman reprise their respective roles as Ulysses Klaue and Everett K Ross, with both characters making their second appearance in the MCU.
Black Panther began filming in January 2017. Production was based in Atlanta, Georgia, with second unit filming a car chase in South Korea, and plates shot in South Africa, Uganda, and Zambia.
Michael B Jordon wouldn’t be the only past collaborator Coogler would bring onto Black Panther. The director reteamed with production designer Hannah Beachler and composer Ludwig Göransson—who both worked on his past two movies—and Fruitvale Station cinematographer, Rachel Morrison. This ensured Coogler’s sensibility would be translated across many facets of production.
As a starting point, Hannah Beachler turned to the source material—with aid from her nineteen-year-old son, Dominic—researching Black Panther and his world. Other inspiration came from African architecture, the works of Zaha Hadid, as well as a trip to South Africa and Lesotho. From this, Beachler compiled a 515-page guide containing the history of Wakanda to inform the set designs. The Warrior Falls were constructed in Atlanta, with a thirty-foot (nine-metre) high cliff face and a six-foot (1.8-metre) deep pool built above ground level. Visual effects would later be used to augment its size. Inspired by the Oribi Gorge, the cliffs were carved from styrofoam and covered with a layer of plaster, taking four months to construct. Tunnels were built into the back of the set, allowing extras to access and populate the cliff’s many tiers. Additionally, a waterfall was added to the cliff edge via six large pumps that generated 30,000 gallons of water per minute. The past and present collide in the design of the tribal council room. Lots of circular shapes were used, a representation of the cyclical nature of life. During meetings, the tribe elders sit upon the flat top of a ruin, with glass and steel protecting the rest of the structure and forming the floor.
For the movie’s many costumes, designer Ruth E Carter looked not just to the comics but to African culture and specific works by contemporary fashion designers Donna Karan, Yves Saint Laurent, and Issey Miyake. T’Challa’s traditional robes are based off Nigerian senator suits. His tailcoat has dashiki-inspired embroidery and he wears sandals that are emblematic of Africa (which are actually modified Alexander McQueen shoes). All of this is to communicate his elegance and regality. Tribes are colour-coded and their dress based on specific African groups: the Border Tribe are dressed in blue, their clothes based on those worn by Lesotho shepherds; the River Tribe are dressed in green, their clothes based on those worn by the Wagenia fisherman in the Democratic Republic of Congo as well as the Suri and Tsamai tribes; the Merchant Tribe are dressed in purple, their clothes based on those worn by the Tuareg people; the Mining Tribe are dressed in red and orange colours, their clothes based on those worn by the Dinka and Samburu tribes; and the Jabari Tribe are dressed in brown and white, their clothes based on those worn by the Ethiopian Karo tribe and Malian Dogon tribe. Colour coordination also extended to specific characters. Zuri’s outfits are purple, signifying his high rank and connection with royalty. His shaman costume takes cues from clothing worn by Nigerian men, with the triangular pattern on his sleeves stemming from the Tuareg people. The Dora Milaje are decked out in red, with pieces of armour (meant to be vibranium) intended to look like jewellery—their neck and arm rings are inspired by the South African Ndebele people—while the beadwork takes inspiration from the Turkana people from northwest Kenya. Okoye, however, wears gold armour, a symbol of her status as leader of the Dora Milaje.
The world premiere of Black Panther was held at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on 29 January 2018. To say Black Panther was well received is an understatement. By the end of its run, it was the highest-grossing film by a black director, the highest grossing film domestically of 2018, and became the ninth highest grossing film of all time with a haul of over $1.3 billion. The lavish sets and ornate costumes with their many African influences bring Wakanda to life and present a rich, immersive experience for the senses. Even the film’s score with its use of African instruments, and the modern soundtrack curated by Kendrick Lamar, furthers the idea of tradition colliding with the ever-changing present.
The efforts of Ryan Coogler, the cast, and the crew were greatly rewarded when Black Panther was nominated for a Best Picture Oscar—the first superhero film to do so. The movie also garnered six other nominations, going on to win Best Original Score, Best Costume Design, and Best Production Design at the 91st Academy Awards. Black Panther also garnered two wins at the 25th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards, claiming the prize for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture as well as Outstanding Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture. Not only has the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe changed, but also the landscape of Hollywood films in general.
Andy Thai’s 3 Marvellous Synergy books can be purchased from Amazon Australia at the links below:
