Film & TV

Wakanda Forever: Movie, plot, cast, trailer, soundtrack, premiere and reception

Wakanda Forever: Movie, plot, cast, trailer, soundtrack, premiere and reception

Wakanda Forever, the most anticipated movie of the year has finally been released, and as expected, the movie has swept the entire globe off its feet. The movie is a sequel to the widely successful Black Panther which was released in 2018. As usual, Wakanda Forever was produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.

Often, sequels turn out to be disappointing compared to the original movies. But Wakanda Forever has proven to be an exception, an amazing feat considering the fact that Black Panther’s main cast member, Chadwick Boseman passed away in 2020 and producers refused to cast his role as T’Challa.

Another interesting thing about Wakanda Forever is the strong Nigerian presence especially in the songs. Shoutout to Tems and other popular Nigerian singers for representing the country well. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves and instead focus on the important things about Wakanda Forever.

Wakanda Forever movie

Wakanda Forever: Movie, plot, cast, trailer, soundtrack, premiere and reception 1

Wakanda Forever is a 2022 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character Black Panther. The movie was produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. Directed by Ryan Coogler, who also doubles as the co-screenwriter with Joe Robert Cole, Wakanda Forever is the 30th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).

The movie features superstars like Letitia Wright, who plays the main character Shuri/Black Panther; Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira, Winston Duke, Florence Kasumba, Dominique Thorne, Michaela Coel, Tenoch Huerta Mejía, Martin Freeman, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and Angela Bassett.

Wakanda Forever tells the story of Queen Ramonda, Shuri, M’Baku, Okoye and Dora Milaje, who fight to protect their nation from intervening world powers following King T’Challa’s death. They team up with Nakia and Everett Ross to forge a new path for their beloved kingdom, Wakanda.

Ideas for the movie, which is the sequel to Black Panther, began in 2018 when Coogler negotiated to return as director. Marvel eventually revealed  the sequel’s development in mid-2019. However, plans were altered when lead actor, Chadwick Boseman, who was supposed to reprise his character, Black Panther, died in August 2020. The producers chose not to recast his role.

Production initially began from late June to early November 2021, in Atlanta and Brunswick, Georgia, as well as around Massachusetts. But a break was announced when Wright sustained an injury during filming. By mid-January 2022, production resumed and finished in late March in Puerto Rico.

ALSO READ: Coming to America: Plot, cast, reception, sequel

Wakanda Forever plot

a scene in Wakanda Forever

The movie begins with T’Challa, king of Wakanda, dying from a serious illness. Shuri, his sister, believes she can cure him with a  “heart-shaped herb”. She tries to create a synthetic version after their cousin N’Jadaka destroys the original one but fails to do so in time to prevent T’Challa’s death.

A year later, Wakanda fell under pressure from other countries to share the kingdom’s vibranium. Some parties attempt to steal the vibranium by force. Queen Ramonda urges Shuri to continue her research into recreating the heart-shaped herb, hoping to create another Black Panther. Shuri refuses, believing the Black Panther is a thing of the past. Meanwhile,  the CIA and U.S. Navy SEALs utilize a vibranium-detecting machine to locate a potential vibranium deposit underwater in the Atlantic Ocean. But the expedition was attacked and killed by a group of blue-skinned water-breathing superhumans led by Namor, which lead the CIA to believe Wakanda was responsible.

Namor confronts Ramonda and Shuri, after easily bypassing Wakanda’s advanced security system and gives them an ultimatum to deliver the scientist responsible for the vibranium-detecting machine, or he will attack the kingdom. CIA agent Everett K. Ross reveals to Shuri and Okoye that the scientist in question is an MIT student, Riri Williams. They arrive at the university to confront her. They are pursued by the FBI and then by Namor’s warriors, who overpower Okoye and take Shuri. Angered by Okoye’s failure to protect Shuri, Queen Ramonda strips Okoye of her position as general of the Dora Milaje and searches for Nakia, who has been living in Haiti following Thanos’ attack on Wakanda.

Shuri is brought to Namor’s kingdom, and he shows her his vibranium-rich underwater kingdom of Talokan, which he has protected for centuries from discovery by the world. He proposes an alliance with Wakanda against the rest of the world as part of his vengeful plans for the enslavement of Maya. Namor threatens to destroy Wakanda first if they refuse his proposal. Nakia helps Shuri and Williams escape.

An enraged Namor retaliates by leading an attack on Wakanda. Queen Ramonda drowns after saving Williams, and Namor retreats, vowing to return in a week with his full army. Citizens of Wakanda are forced to relocate to the Jabari mountains for their safety. Meanwhile, agent Ross’ ex-wife and CIA director, Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, gets him arrested for exchanging classified intelligence reports with the Wakandans.

After Ramonda’s burial, Shuri uses the remnant herb from Namor’s people, which gives them superhuman abilities to recreate the heart-shaped herb. She ingests it and gains superhuman abilities, which also help her meet N’Jadaka in the Ancestral Plane, who urges her to seek revenge. She wears the Black Panther suit and is accepted by the Wakandans as the new Black Panther. Shuri orders an immediate counterattack on Talokan, to avenge her mother’s death, despite M’Baku’s pleas for peace. Ayo assumes the position of general of the Dora Milaje, while Shuri bestows the Midnight Angel armour upon Okoye. Okoye, in turn, recruits Dora Milaje member Aneka to join her while Williams creates an Iron Man-ish powered exoskeleton to help the Wakandans.

The Wakandans lure Namor and his warriors to the surface using a seafaring vessel, and a battle ensues. Shuri traps Namor in a fighter aircraft to dry him out and weaken him. They crash on a desert beach and fight. Shuri, gaining the upper hand, realises that Wakanda is not really different from the Talokans. She urges Namor to yield by offering a peaceful alliance. Namor accepts, and the battle ends. However, Namor’s cousin  Namora, is upset at Namor’s surrender, but he assures her that the alliance will help them conquer the surface world one day.

Williams returns to MIT but leaves her suit behind while Okoye rescues Ross from captivity. Shuri plants more heart-shaped herbs to ensure the future of the Black Panther. In her absence, M’Baku challenges for the throne of Wakanda. Meanwhile, Shuri visits Nakia in Haiti and burns her funeral ceremonial robe in accordance with Ramonda’s wishes, thus allowing her to grieve T’Challa.

In the post-credit, Shuri discovers that Nakia and T’Challa had a son named Toussaint whom Nakia has been raising secretly far away from the pressures of the Wakanda throne. Toussaint reveals that his Wakandan name is T’Challa.

ALSO READ: Shazam: Plot, cast, parents’ guide, reception

Wakanda Forever cast

Wakanda Forever cast

  • Letitia Wright as Shuri / Black Panther
  • Lupita Nyong’o as Nakia
  • Danai Gurira as Okoye
  • Winston Duke as M’Baku
  • Florence Kasumba as Ayo
  • Dominique Thorne as Riri Williams
  • Michaela Coel as Aneka
  • Tenoch Huerta Mejía as Namor
  • Martin Freeman as Everett K. Ross
  • Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Valentina Allegra de Fontaine
  • Angela Bassett as Ramonda

Wakanda Forever trailer

The Wakanda Forever trailer is an emotionally moving experience in tribute to the late Chadwick Boseman. The trailer also teases the appearance of the new Black Panther. One of the highlights of the trailer is the music which was sung by Nigerian music star, Tems. The song is a soft cover of Bob Marley’s No Woman No Cry to add to the mood of the trailer.

The trailer premiered on October 4, 2022.

Wakanda Forever soundtrack

Ludwig Göransson composed the movie’s score. Göransson was also the one who composed the soundtrack for the 2018 Black Panther. American music star, Rihanna also Lift Me Up, which was featured as a tribute to Boseman. Worthy of mention are Nigerian singers who are heavily represented in the Wakanda Forever, songs. Tems, Burna Boy, Fireboy, Rema, CKay and Tobe Nwigwe are some of the singers that released their songs for the movie. Below is the full list of songs for Wakanda Forever:

  1. ‘Lift Me Up’ – Rihanna
  2. ‘Love & Loyalty (Believe)’ – DBN Gogo, Sino Msolo, Kamo Mphela, Young Stunna & Busiswa
  3. ‘Alone’ – Burna Boy
  4. ‘No Woman No Cry’ – Tems
  5. ‘Arboles Bajo El Mar’ – Vivir Quintana & Mare Advertencia
  6. ‘Con La Brisa’ – Foudeqush & Ludwig Göransson
  7. ‘La Vida’ – Snow Tha Product (feat. E-40)
  8. ‘Interlude’ – Stormzy
  9. ‘Coming Back For You’ – Fireboy DML
  10. ‘They Want It, But No’ – Tobe Nwigwe & Fat Nwigwe
  11. ‘Laayli’ kuxa’ano’one’ – Adn Maya Colectivo, Pat Boy, Yaalen K’uj & All Mayan Winik
  12. ‘Limoncello’ – OG DAYV & Future
  13. ‘Anya Mmiri’ – CKay (feat. PinkPantheress)
  14. ‘Wake Up’ – Bloody Civilian (feat. Rema)
  15. ‘Pantera’ – Aleman (feat. Rema)
  16. ‘Jele’ – DBN Gogo, Sino Msolo, Kamo Mphela, Young Stunna & Busiswa
  17. ‘Inframundo’ – Blue Rojo
  18. ‘No Digas Mi Nombre’ – Calle x Vida & Foudeqush
  19. ‘Mi Pueblo’ – Guadelupe de Jesus Chan Poot

Wakanda Forever premier

Wakanda Forever premiered at the El Capitan Theatre and the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on October 26, 2022. The movie was released in the United States and Nigeria on November 11, 2022, as the final film in Phase Four of the MCU.

Wakanda Forever reception

Wakanda Forever received positive reviews for Coogler’s direction, the action sequences, production and costume design, and the cast’s performances, particularly from Wright, Basset, Gurira and Huerta. Also, the emotional weight, musical score, and its tributes to Boseman were praised. The only negative criticism was the runtime. The movie was rated 4.1 on Rotten Tomatoes, while 88% of the audience loved it.

Wakanda Forever grossed over $571 million worldwide, making it the eighth-highest-grossing film of 2022.

ALSO READ: Anikulapo: A review of Kunle Afolayan’s ‘masterpiece’

Previous ArticleNext Article
Nonye is a Thespian, screenwriter, creative writer and an unapologetic lover of books, great movies and sports. She has over 10 years experience in content writing on entertainment, movies, sports and lifestyle. Nonye is currently a content writer at Blackdot Media and founder of litafrik.com
Send this to a friend