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The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a massive property that’s become a well-oiled machine over the past decade of filmmaking. But Black Panther’s success broke new ground when it hit theaters in 2018, earning a slew of Oscar nominations including Best Picture. Actor Andy Serkis recently spoke about the upcoming sequel Wakanda Forever, as well as the legacy of the late Chadwick Boseman.
The death of Chadwick Boseman in summer of 2020 shocked his countless fans out there, and also seemingly put the Black Panther franchise in jeopardy. But Ryan Coogler reworked the story of Wakanda Forever and the cast is intent on honoring Boseman and his character T’Challa throughout its runtime. Andy Serkis played a significant role as Ulysses Klaue in the original movie, and addressed the franchise’s future by saying:
Wakanda as a world, as a place, as a philosophy is such an extraordinary thing. So I'm really excited to see how it evolves, how it unfolds. Obviously, it's very, very sad in the wake of [Chadwick Boseman's] departure, but I'm sure that the story will go some way to memorialize such an extraordinary performance and such an incredible actor and person in that movie.
Just like his villainous character Klaue, Andy Serkis seems to really appreciate what Wakanda as a setting brings to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. And while he perished in the first Black Panther, the actor seems certain that Ryan Coogler and company found a way to continue the story in a satisfying way.
Andy Serkis’ comments about Black Panther: Wakanda Forever come from a recent conversation with io9 ahead of the release of Venom: Let There Be Carnage. The interview also touched on his myriad other properties including Lord of the Rings and his gig in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It doesn’t look like he’ll appear in Ryan Coogler’s upcoming sequel, but perhaps a flashback will bring Klaue back from the dead.
Marvel fans can re-watch Andy Serkis’ time in the MCU on Disney+. You can use this link to sign up for the streaming service.
Just like the other members of the Black Panther family, Andy Serkis took the time to mention what an extraordinary talent and person Chadwick Boseman was in life. On top of being a friend and collaborator, the late actor became a real life hero to many young people who looked up to him. We’ll just have to wait and see how this is addressed in-universe.
Basically nothing is known about the contents of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, but fans were thrilled to learn that filming had finally begun. Unfortunately it hasn’t been without incident, as Shuri actress Letitia Wright suffered an injury on set. Still, moviegoers can’t wait to dive back into Wakanda, and see who ends up taking on the mantle of Black Panther.
Black Panther 2 is currently expected to arrive in theaters on July 8th, 2022. Meanwhile, Andy Serkis’ Venom: Let There Be Carnage is hitting October 1st. In the meantime, check out the 2021 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience.
