Welcome to Wakanda! The first teaser trailer for Marvel Studios’ ‘Black Panther’ has dropped and it’s amazing! The clip opens with Ulysses Klaue, played by Andy Serkis– better known in the comics as the sonic-powered villain Klaw– interrogating Everett K.Ross (Martin Freeman), a character that was introduced in ‘Captain America: Civil War’, who, in the comics, is a delegate that is an expert in Wakandan history.
Director Ryan Coogler stated:
“One person knows quite a bit about Wakanda and another person who thinks they do, but they don’t. But I thought it would be awesome to start with a character who has seen Wakanda in its true light.”
From there we get glimpses of King T’Challa, otherwise known as the Black Panther (also introduced in ‘Civil War’), portrayed by Chadwick Boseman in action. But he’s not alone. T’Challa is aided by a specially trained force of mostly female agents to secure this secluded, high-tech nation, which includes ‘The Walking Dead”s Danai Gurira as Okoye, Lupita Nyong’o as Dora Milaje/Nakia, Florence Kasumba as Ayo, Letitia Wright as T’Challa’s sister Princess Shuri (rocking power gauntlets that may rival Iron Man’s),
Oh, and there are some additional males– Daniel Kaluuya (Netflix’s ‘The Get Down’) as W’Kabi, an adviser and Forest Whittaker as Zuri, a “shaman” of sorts.
Coogler stated:
“He’s somewhat a religious figure or spiritual figure. Spirituality is something that exists in Wakanda in the comics, and it’s something we wanted to have elements of in the film. Forest’s character, more than anything, is a major tie-back to T’Challa’s father. Zuri is someone he looks to for guidance.”
This is something that Fishburn should be accustomed to after playing Morpheus in the ‘Matrix’ trilogy.
The mention of the “heart-shaped herb” is from the comics and is how Black Panther derives his power, allowing him to go toe-to-toe against super soldier Captain America. Well, that and the suit made from the fictitious metal Vibranium.
As Coogler says:
“The Heart-Shaped Herb is how Black Panther achieves his powers. He can fight hand-to-hand with Cap, who’s a supersoldier, so he has super strength and heightened instincts that give him his enhanced abilities. The Heart-Shaped Herb is what Black Panthers over the generations would consume, once they earn the title, which gives them their physical edge.”
Sounds a little less painful than what Steve Rogers had to go through.
As if Klaw wasn’t enough, Boseman’s Black Panther will also have to deal with a few more baddies, including dreamboat Michael B. Jordan, rocking the most unfortunate 80s ‘Soul Train’ hair as Erica Kilmonger (We Don’t Have To Take Our… Armor Off… To Have A Good Time, Oh No)… (I can just keep going. “We can dance and party… all night! And drink some cherry wine! Uh huh!!”)
And Winston Duke as M’Baku, a character known in the comics as Man-Ape, an alias which, for the love of GOD, they don’t use in the movie.
Here are some additional stills from the trailer:
What did you think of the trailer?
Marvel Studios’ “Black Panther” follows T’Challa who, after the death of his father, the King of Wakanda, returns home to the isolated, technologically advanced African nation to succeed to the throne and take his rightful place as king. But when a powerful old enemy reappears, T’Challa’s mettle as king—and Black Panther—is tested when he is drawn into a formidable conflict that puts the fate of Wakanda and the entire world at risk. Faced with treachery and danger, the young king must rally his allies and release the full power of Black Panther to defeat his foes and secure the safety of his people and their way of life.
Marvel Studios’ ‘Black Panther’ is directed by Ryan Coogler and stars Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira, Martin Freeman, Daniel Kaluuya, Angela Bassett, Forest Whitaker, Andy Serkis, Florence Kasumba, John Kani, Winston Duke, Sterling K. Brown, Letitia Wright and Phylicia Rashad opens on February 16, 2018.
Source: Entertainment Weekly
