Black Panther seems to be diversely epic and will fare better than Captain America

It's more of a political-thriller, similar to Captain America, but with grounded action and a self-contained story.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU)  doesn’t seem like it’s slowing down anytime soon, despite the fact that many were disappointed by their recent streak of films after Captain America: Civil War. But I suppose that’s understandable when you set such a high standard. Regardless, their upcoming line up of films starting with Spider-Man: Homecoming looks quite promising. But one particular film you should get excited about is Black Panther.



Directed by Ryan Coogler and featuring a talented cast led by Chandwick Boseman as the titular character, the film follows Boseman’s  T’Challa character. He is forced to return home to the fictional and technologically advanced African country of Wakanda and take the throne following the death of his father, The King. However, when an old adversary, Killmonger (Michael Bakari Jordan), reappears, T’Challa is forced to rally his allies and take the mantle of his alter-ego, the Black Panther, in order to protect his kingdom.

Judging by the trailer, what makes Black Panther distinct from other Marvel films is the rather epic feel it boasts which, though present in other Marvel movies, often feels hollow. The film also brings some much needed diversity to the table, which has been a major issue in Hollywood, boasting a cast of actors like Jordan, Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira, Daniel Kaluuya, Angela Bassett, Forest Whitaker, Martin Freeman, and Andy Serkis.

Another thing that makes Black Panther stand out from other Marvel movies is that it shifts its focus away from New York City to the mysterious and technologically advanced fictional nation of Wakanda. This will be a welcome change of pace and a breath of fresh air.

It will also be interesting to see how well Coogler handles the world-building element when it comes to establishing Wakanda. From what we can see from the trailer, Black Panther feels more like a political-thriller along the lines of Captain America: Winter Soldier, with grounded action and a more self-contained story rather than the traditional Marvel fare. The fact that the character of the Black Panther has already been introduced in Captain America: Civil War saves us the eye-rollingly obvious origin story and will make the character’s transition into the MCU more organic.



One can also rest knowing that the film is in capable hands since it’s directed by Coogler, who made his debut four years ago with the impressive independent drama Fruitvale Station. He then followed it up with the critically and commercially successful Rocky sequel, Creed.

 Black Panther is set to hit cinemas February 16, 2018.

All photos: IMDb