‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’: Co-Writer Joe Robert Cole Reveals Two Other Black Panther Replacements Considered For New Film

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever co-writer/director Ryan Coogler joined Deadline’s Contenders LA3C panel to reflect on the impact of the untimely passing of Chadwick Boseman and the sensitive display of Black motherhood. 

The Marvel blockbuster Black Panther: Wakanda Forever reminded in the top spot at the domestic box office for its fourth-straight week, totaling $17.6 million on what was a down weekend at the box office to kick off the year's final month, while the holiday horror comedy Violent Night made an impressive $13.3 million.Wakanda Forever remained in the top spot, as its made $733 million total at the global box office, with $339 million in sales overseas.The Ryan Coogler-directed movie features an ensemble cast including Angela Bassett, Lupita Nyong'o, Letitia Wright and Danai Gurira. The latest: The Marvel blockbuster Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, starring Angela Bassett, reminded in the top spot at the domestic box office for its fourth-straight week, totaling $17.6 million on what was a down weekend at the box office to kick off the year's final month Violent Night - which stars David Harbour as Santa Claus and features a cast including John Leguizamo, Alex Hassell and Alexis Louder - made $13.3 million in its first frame, as it cost Universal about $20 million to make.'Violent Night had a terrific debut this weekend,' Universal Domestic Distribution Chief Jim Orr told Deadline Sunday, adding, '87North, director Tommy Wirkola, and the incomparable David Harbour as Santa crafted an incredibly original, fun, irreverent take on the ultimate superhero that thrilled audiences this weekend and will for many weeks to come.' The entertainment analytics company RelishMix reported that Violent Night was buoyed by buzz on social media.'David Harbour is the hot-trending theme in much of the chatter on Violent Night, and bringing his Stranger Things audience to the comments,' according to RelishMix.

Lupita Nyong'o gifted her fans a new Instagram photo series earlier Sunday containing an assortment of behind-the-scenes snaps from her time on set of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.The actress, 39, showed off her fit physique in her character's costume as she captured memories with other cast members while filming the anticipated sequel.The Little Monsters star reprised her role as Nakia in the second film, which has garnered a whopping total of $675 million in the global box office since its release earlier this month on November 11. Behind-the-scenes: Lupita Nyong'o, 39, shared a new Instagram photo series on Sunday of her time on set of the Black Panther sequelThe Us actress typed out a short caption to her 10.2 million fans and followers, 'More from forever in Wakanda,' with a black heart emoji added at the end.  In the first snap she shared, Lupita could be seen fully dressed in her figure-hugging costume next to actress Michaela Coel, who portrays Aneka in the film. The duo could be seen standing outside under the sun before stepping onto set to shoot a scene. The second photo showed Lupita happily taking a selfie closely next to Winston Duke, who tackled the role of M'Baku.

*Be warned, major spoilers ahead for “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”* Marvel’s “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” is expected to cross $600 million at the global box office this weekend. And it’s really quite the feat that co-writer/director Ryan Coogler was able to pull off, given the heartbreaking development process after losing actor Chadwick Boseman and trying to get the massive film completed while honoring his memory.

There’s a special place at cowriter/director Ryan Coogler’s table and in his heart for those who supported Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever has been a worldwide hit and moviegoers have found out that Letitia Wright’s Shuri is the new Black Panther.

Marvel Studios' Black Panther: Wakanda Forever spent a second consecutive week at No. 1 by earning $67.3M from 4,396 US theaters.In total, Ryan Coogler's $250M-budget PG-13 sequel has amassed a total of $546.3M at the global box office despite the bladder-busting 161-minute running time - according to Deadline.Wakanda Forever stars Letitia Wright, Lupita Nyong'o, Danai Gurira, Winston Duke, Florence Kasumba, Dominique Thorne, Michaela Coel, Tenoch Huerta, Martin Freeman, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and Angela Bassett.

Following up the enormous success of a box office-shattering, Academy Award-winning film with a sequel carries its own pressures and challenges, but for the team behind Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, they also had to navigate production and life after the loss of their beloved lead, their king, T’Challa, the Black Panther himself Chadwick Boseman. Director Ryan Coogler discussed moving forward in the wake of Boseman’s tragic passing in 2020. 

Finding inspiration. In Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Lupita Nyong’o plays the grieving lover of T’Challa, the character played by the late Chadwick Boseman, but in reality, the actress turned to Boseman’s widow, Simone Ledward Boseman, for inspiration.

Strengthened by the worldwide release this past weekend of Disney/Marvel’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, the Walt Disney Studios has crossed the $3B box office mark globally for the year so far.

With a career spanning over three decades, costume designer Ruth Carter has crafted looks for the early 1800s, mid-20th Century America and all aspect of ’90s and early 2000’s Los Angeles (from “B.A.P.S.” to “Love & Basketball”). Her efforts have seen her rewarded with three Oscar nominations for Best Costume Design and a win in 2020 for Ryan Coogler’s “Black Panther.” She revisited that pop culture inflection in “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” and it was arguably one of the biggest challenges of her career.

Lupita Nyong’o made her dream a reality by filming Black Panther: Wakanda Forever when she was able to speak Spanish. The Academy Award winner for 12 Years a Slave was born in México City to Kenyan parents.

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever earned $330 million in ticket sales worldwide its opening weekend, it was estimated by Walt Disney Co on Sunday.The distributor also said the film set a box office November record in the United States and Canada, according to Reuters.From Thursday night through Sunday, the Ryan Coogler-directed feature pulled in $180M domestically. Monumental! Black Panther: Wakanda Forever earned $330 million in ticket sales worldwide its opening weekend, it was estimated by Walt Disney Co on SundayIt beat out 2013's The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, which opened with $158.1 million.Internationally, the sequel earned $150 million between Wednesday and Sunday, making it the top-grossing Hollywood release in all markets.  Wakanda Forever - which stars Angela Bassett, Leticia Wright, and Lupita Nyong'o, and more - was highly anticipated before its November 11 release.The film, which follows 2018's original, earned $84 million opening day, including $28 million from Thursday previews.

“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” opens in theaters today in the US to close out Phase 4 for the MCU. But don’t expect the film’s worldwide box office numbers to reach those of Ryan Coogler‘s 2018 film.

**Spoiler Alert: This is an article for those that have already seen “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.” If you have not, bookmark this page, turn around, see the movie and come back. Spoiler Alert end.** A dramatic meditation on grief, mourning, and healing, while also acting as an action-packed superhero look at how vengeance can consume us—not to mention all its geopolitical and ideological ideas of protecting one’s identities, traditions, and right to exist—Marvel’s “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” is in theaters now and is a lot of movie.

“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” opens in theaters today in the US to close out Phase 4 for the MCU. But don’t expect the film’s worldwide box office numbers to reach those of Ryan Coogler‘s 2018 film.

Honoring the king. When Chadwick Boseman died of colon cancer in August 2020, director Ryan Coogler reworked the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever script to write out the late actor’s character.

When Black Panther director Ryan Coogler returned to direct the highly-anticipated sequel Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, he left with a skill he didn't have before: he learned how to swim.The sequel introduces the iconic Marvel Comics character Namor the Sub-Mariner - who made his comics debut nearly a century ago in 1939, played by Tenoch Huerta.Since a large portion of the movie takes place underwater, the 36-year-old Oakland native filmmaker revealed he had to learn how to swim for the movie. Skill: When Black Panther director Ryan Coogler returned to direct the highly-anticipated sequel Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, he left with a skill he didn't have before: he learned how to swim Namor: The sequel introduces the iconic Marvel Comics character Namor the Sub-Mariner - who made his comics debut nearly a century ago in 1939, played by Tenoch Huerta'A lot of us were raised to have fear of water,' Coogler began, adding, 'I had to figure out how to swim so I could direct this movie.'Namor is the ruler of an underwater kingdom known as Talokan, and he and the newly-discovered kingdom become a new threat to the fictional African nation of Wakanda in the sequel.

Disney/Marvel’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever got out to a $10.1M start in  17 international box office markets on Wednesday. This is ahead of continued offshore rollout through Friday and the sequel’s domestic debut on Friday (domestic previews start Thursday). 

Letitia Wright has revealed she is still in therapy following a traumatic accident on the set of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever in August 2021.The actress, 29, suffered a concussion and a shoulder fracture after falling off a 'biscuit rig' while riding a motorcycle in Boston, causing production to temporarily shut down -  with the star reflecting on the harrowing incident to Variety. Letitia, who plays Shuri in the film, said: 'I’m still processing it. I’m still working through it in therapy.