Editor’s note: Deadline’s Read the Screenplay series debuts and celebrates the screenplays of films that will appear in this year’s film awards races.
In 2020 the tragic loss of Black Panther The star, Chadwick Boseman, drove writer and director Ryan Coogler into a frenzy. In the early stages of pre-production for the anticipated sequel that would become Marvel/Disney Black Panther: Wakanda ForeverCooller almost gave up on filmmaking altogether.
“I was at a point where I was like, ‘I’m leaving this company,'” Coogler said in a recent interview. “I didn’t know if I could do another film [or] One more Black Panther film because it hurt a lot. I was like, ‘Man, how can I open myself up to feelings like that again?'”
In an interview with Deadline, Coogler further explained that it’s about revisiting old footage or reminiscing about 2018 Black Panther Press trip – namely one time Magazine cover photos with him and Boseman reignited his passion for the job. “[That] Shooting is one of my fondest memories of hanging out with him while we were doing commercials [the first] Movie. He was just cold,” Cooller said. “So it just reminded me that I wanted something while we were making the film to remind us what we were doing it for. He was a big deal to us and it was great to tell the world how we felt about him.
Written with Joe Robert Cole, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is an emotionally resonant film in which the impact of T’Challa’s death is felt not only by his native Wakandan people, but also by the rest of the world. In the film, the Kingdom of Wakanda is attacked by world leaders and a seafaring tribe of native warriors while enduring the massive loss of Boseman’s King T’Challa. Shuri (Letitia Wright), Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett) and the Dora Milaje must find the strength to chart a new path for their nation.
Coogler and Cole had the nearly impossible task of writing a script that would somehow advance the story without its title character. Fortunately, the result is a strong film about the effects of grief, loss and the power to carry on despite everything.
The film opened in November and earned $442 million domestically and $823.8 million worldwide, ranking 6th on the list of highest-grossing films of 2022.
Click below to read the script Black Panther: Wakanda Foreverwith the then working title ‘Summer Break’.
Writer: Lot Jackson
Source: Deadline
Bernice Bonaparte is an author and entertainment journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a passion for pop culture and a talent for staying up-to-date on the latest entertainment news, Bernice has become a trusted source for information on the entertainment industry.
