There are two ways of looking at the Marvel Cinematic Universe currently. Some might argue that it has never been bigger and better. The first part is true and the second debatable, but clearly, the MCU has spread its branches out in so many directions that it is tough to gauge just how vast it is. Others say that due to this vast spread, the quality has diluted. There is a case to be made there as well. The latest Thor film divided fans and critics and some of the newer web shows have failed to hit rating highs. Amid all this comes Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. The film, and its fate, is vital for the future of the MCU at large and, to an extent, the superhero genre as well. (Also Read | Black Panther Wakanda Forever trailer: Namor wages war on surface world)
MCU has divided its storytelling in phases. Usually, a phase is bookended by tentpole films, usually one of the Avengers titles. The ongoing Phase Four, as many fans have noted, lacks an Avengers film. In fact, the next Avengers film — The Kang Dynasty — is part of Phase Six, and releases in 2025. In the absence of a tentpole, the honour (or responsibility) of closing out this phase of the MCU falls upon Black Panther 2. To many, the phases of MCU are invisible but there is always a tonal shift when one ends and another begins. And hence, it is important to begin and end one strongly. An Avengers film–or even a multiversal adventure like Spider-Man: No Way Home–has good resources to do that. Black Panther 2 faces that unenviable task, but it may just be up for it.
Wakanda Forever’s journey has not been easy. It is the first film in the MCU to face a crisis of replacing a much loved character and a fan favourite actor. Chadwick Boseman’s tragic, untimely death left a T’Challa-sized void in the franchise. Many had expected him to be the face of the MCU after the departure of the ‘original six’ Avengers. And they had good reason to believe that. He was universally liked, charismatic and had led the first-ever Marvel film nominated for the Best Picture Oscar. Perhaps that is why Wakanda Forever was slated to close out Phase Four.
But that changed in August 2020 when Chadwick lost his battle to colon cancer. Wakanda was without a king and the Marvel universe had to scamper to look for a new direction. In that, the film has done pretty well. Not only has it woven Chadwick’s loss into the narrative, it has gone about in a way that honours the actor’s memory. Recasting would have been tricky given Chadwick’s popularity with fans. Ignoring them was impossible. The way Wakanda Forever has gone, depicting a battered kingdom mourning its king, was the only way to respect T’Challa and honour Chadwick’s memory.
Which is why I am convinced the film will cross the next hurdle too. As I said, setting the tone for the next phase of MCU is a task this film could have done without. It could have been as self-contained as the first one was. But the trailer shows it aspires to be much more. The film looks grander than the previous one and one with more crossovers and groundwork for the future, which is more than what any previous MCU film in this phase has done. Namor is arriving, a new Black Panther is taking over, and then there is Iron Heart. The seeds for Phase Five have been sown. How well they react is up to how well this film does, both at the box office and with the critics.
To say that Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is the most important Marvel film in years isn’t an exaggeration. Many have felt that Marvel has been underwhelming since Endgame three years ago. This film is a chance to win back those. And for those who are still on board, it is a great way to remind what fun Marvel can be while being grand and pacy. Don’t get me wrong, She-Hulk, MS Marvel and I am Groot are all great for streaming. But every once in a while, you need Marvel to go old school and give you that same exhilaration you felt while watching the Avengers come together for the first time in New York a decade ago. It may lack the star power to achieve that moment but Black Panther 2 is not lacking in intent. Come November 11, we will find out how it does, and if it can ‘save’ MCU as many want it to.
