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What the ‘Wakanda Forever’ Post-Credit Scene Means for the Future of the Franchise

If you thought you were done crying when the credits for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever began rolling, you were simply fooling yourself. As newly-minted Black Panther Shuri symbolically moved past her grief by burning her mourning garments, the post-credit scene to the film stirred a whole new batch of emotions. If you haven’t seen the film yet and wish not to be spoiled, turn back now as we’ll take a look at what the surprising PCS might mean for the future of the franchise.

The PCS reveals that Nakia hasn’t just been hiding out in Haiti mourning the loss of her lover, King T’Challa but rather has been raising their son, Prince T’Challa. As Shuri and the audience learn all about the royal son, who goes by the name Toussaint in Haiti, it becomes clear that the young Prince has been taken away from the craziness of succession in Wakanda but is being prepared to ascend to the throne one day. Only 6 years old, Prince T’Challa has a long road ahead of him before he’s ready to become King and Protector of Wakanda, not to mention the backlash and political ramifications of revealing his existence to Wakanda. What could his existence mean for the future of the Black Panther franchise?

According to Executive Producer Nate Moore, there are multiple D+ projects being developed within and adjacent to the World of Wakanda. The events of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever could easily lead to several such projects. While fans might be familiar with rumors of an Okoye-centric project (which could become a Midnight Angels), the PCS of Wakanda Forever could turn into another project sometime down the road. With Marvel Studios Multiverse Saga slate pretty full, there might not be room in it for a third Black Panther film and director Ryan Coogler isn’t quite ready to make the decision about whether he wants to sign on for it or not, but the longer it takes for Black Panther 3 to hit theaters, the older Prince T’Challa gets to be. Is there room for a streaming project about Prince T’Challa between now and when Black Panther 3 hits theaters? Or, perhaps it’s better to ask if there’s room for one between now and when Avengers: Secret Wars hits theaters?

Ultimately, the PCS of Wakanda Forever doesn’t truly feel like it’s setting up much of anything as much as it’s making a statement in line with the film’s subtitle: the legacy of T’Challa, and Wakanda, will continue on. With the deaths of T’Challa and Ramonda, Shuri stood as the last member of the family who had ruled Wakanda since their ancestor, Bashenga, became the first Black Panther and united four of the five tribes of Wakanda into one nation. Prince T’Challa serves as a promise that the line will continue for another generation. But will audiences ever see the Prince become the Black Panther?

It’s a tough question to answer because, in the comics, 616-T’Challa doesn’t have a son. Some alternate universe T’Challas have had children, but for the most part any story involving Prince T’Challa will be an original. And again, whether or not those stories end up being told is a big question. It’s possible, maybe even likely, that while Marvel Studios chose not to recast Chadwick Boseman in Wakanda Forever, the potential to do so down the road a few years in Avengers: Secret Wars remains tempting. A post-Secret Wars MCU could potentially be built around one new universe in which characters from others find themselves together. In that case, a new actor coming in as a Variant T’Challa provides opportunity for Marvel Studios to have the character working alongside the Fantastic Four and, yes, the X-Men where a potential relationship with Storm can finally come to the big screen.

That’s not to say Marvel Studios may not chose to keep Prince T’Challa in the plans. A D+ series about the young Prince, his mother and aunt could be a way to continue to explore the rich history of Wakanda or another film, 5+ years down the road set in Wakanda could end up exploring the changing political landscape of the country, a theme that’s often been explored in the comics. So while it’d be great to “know” just what Prince T’Challa’s appearance means for the future of Wakanda, all it really does is ensure that there is one.

November 12, 2022
‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ Breaks Marvel Studios’ B CinemaScore Streak

Marvel Studios has been doing quite well at the box office, but still faced some hurdles in its more experimental phase. Phase 4 has seen quite a few more distinct projects than in the past, which also meant that fan reception wasn’t always on board. Since Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Marvel Studios’ productions have been getting B CinemaScores rather than the usual A they’ve built up over the years. Eternals being the lowest they’ve had in a long time with a B while Thor: Love and Thunder and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness ended up with a B+ score.

The only one that was able to break that streak was the co-developed Spider-Man: No Way Home which also had a strong nostalgia effect at play but also was technically published by Sony. Luckily, it seems that the B CinemaScore streak has come to an end as Black Panther: Wakanda Forever has received an A grade from audiences.

https://twitter.com/CinemaScore/status/1591326356927045634

Early indicators hint that it may have been close to getting an A+ rating as it received five stars from 83% of audiences according to PostTrack, which is not too far from No Way Home‘s 89%. It’s a great sign that audiences are still enjoying Marvel films at the moment, as the latest phase rolls out. Plus, it bodes well for the film’s legs in the long run even if A+ could’ve pushed it even further. It’s not surprising though that after an event film like Avengers: Endgame, people would feel a bit of a sophomore slump like with any long-running series, but Marvel is playing the long game by testing out new waters throughout this phase.

Source: Twitter, Twitter (Post-Track)

November 12, 2022
David Leitch’s ‘The Fall Guy’ Adds ‘Ted Lasso’ Star

David Leitch has been quite busy making a name for himself with various projects ever since his work on 2014’s John Wick. He went on to tackle Atomic Blonde, and entered the world of blockbusters with Deadpool 2 and Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw before his recent release with Bullet Train. He’s also been quite busy as a second unit director on various productions, which includes Captain Ameria: Civil War, The Wolverine, and many more. Now, he’s already eyeing his next project with The Fall Guy, an adaptation of an iconic 1980s TV series with a new twist.

In the Hollywood Reporter latest Heat Vision blog, they have revealed that Ted Lasso star, Hannah Waddingham, has now seemingly joined the production. The film has already amassed a stellar cast with Aaron Talyor-Johnson, Stephanie Hsu, Winston Duke, Emily Blunt, and Ryan Gosling as its leading star. Production is already filming in Australia, so if this isn’t the final casting news we might see some more in the coming weeks.

The upcoming film will establish its own story based on the original, as instead of having a stuntman as a bounty hunter on the side, the film will focus on a mystery of a missing star, which Drew Pearce, played by Gosling, has to find again. Waddingham will take on the role of producer of the movie that is facing production trouble after its main star went missing, who’ll be played by Aaron Taylor-Johnson. The base concept sounds enthralling and could make for a great blockbuster addition to cinemas.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter

November 11, 2022
Aubrey Plaza Reveals Why She Joined ‘Agatha: Coven of Chaos’

There was quite some surprise when it was revealed that Aubrey Plaza was joining the upcoming Agatha: Coven of Chaos Disney+ series. She’s been a long-time hopeful to become a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and many assumed she’d take on a much larger role in one of the film projects. Surprisingly, she found the role perfect for her in the WandaVision spinoff, and it seems her reasoning is quite simple: she wants to work with Kathryn Hahn.

Agatha: Coven of Chaos’—I haven’t talked about it yet. It’s a fun character. I’ll just say, speaking of manifestations…it’s all coming together for me with this part. Kathryn Hahn, she’s a friend of mine; I’ve known her for years. We shared a couple moments onscreen in ‘Parks and Recreation’ 10 years ago, but I’ve never gotten to work with her, really. She’s one of the most incredible actresses that’s working today. She’s a friend of mine. She speaks my language. To be able to get onscreen with her and go toe-to-toe with her is what’s driving me. I think it’s cool that it’s Marvel and all that, but I’m really just interested to work with Kathryn Hahn.
Aubrey Plaza

It’s definitely great to see her enthusiasm for reuniting with her Parks and Recreation co-star, and one can’t blame her given just how much fun Hahn has been as one of Marvel Studios’ latest major characters. Her popularity from Marvel Studios’ first venture led to her getting one of the first spinoffs alongside Haweye‘s Echo, which technically was the first Disney+ spinoff to be announced.

Source: Backstage

November 11, 2022
New Studio Ghibli Tweet Teases Grogu’s Unannounced ‘Star Wars’ Special

When Studio Ghibli shared a rather subtle clue that they are working on a project with Lucasfilm, it led to many questions about what exactly that project might end up being. They haven’t shared an official statement and neither has Disney, but a new tweet has finally surfaced offering more teases of what’s to come. This new image seemingly includes legendary director Hayao Miyazaki in the blurred background with a focus on a familiar face from modern Star Wars adaptations, Grogu.

Just last week, there was a hint that on the 12th of November we’d get a new special focused on Grogu titled Star Wars Zen – Grogu and Dust Bunnies. The official Italien Disney+ channel accidentally leaked it but there hasn’t been an official announcement or reveal of it up until now. With the below tweet, it does seem like Ghibli is developing that special.

https://twitter.com/JP_GHIBLI/status/1591083333844205568

It’s certainly curious that Star Wars is getting a special created by one of the most prolific animation studios in Japan and barely promote it. Yes, the teasers have been quite great to make us wonder what exactly they are working on, but perhaps the release date was falsely included and it might not release for another week or so. Still, if they do shadow drop a Studio Ghibli-focused Grogu special on Disney+ tomorrow, we’ll definitely be excited to check it out.

Source: Twitter

November 11, 2022
RUMOR: MCU’s ‘Fantastic Four’ Eyeing January 2024 Production Start

Marvel Studios is pushing forward on its next phase of films yet they are also preparing to start work on the final phase of the Multiverse Saga. Set for November 2024, Marvel Studios is ready to introduce its take on the iconic First Family of Marvel, the Fantastic Four. Initially, Spider-Man director Jon Watts was set to tackle the adaptation but passed on the project for a new Star Wars series. In his place, WandaVision‘s Matt Shakman took over directing duties with Jeff Kaplan and Ian Springer penning the script for their take on the Fantastic Four.

While not many more details are known, it does seem like a new rumor has found its way online, as well-known scooper Daniel Richtman has seemingly teased that they are already eyeing a production start by January. Well, January 2024 to be exact with a whole year still going. It does also match its upcoming February 14th release date in 2025, as it would give the production plenty of time to film and go through post-production.

This production rumor could also be our key indicator of when we might expect casting announcements. It does seem likely that we’ll have to wait a bit longer before we find out who will don the roles of Mr. Fantastic, Invisible Woman, The Human Torch, and Thing. Of course, they could already have locked in someone for the role given the long-time commitment but it does seem like they’ll wait it out until we get any official news on that film.

Source. Patreon via Twitter

November 11, 2022
New Report May Have Revealed the Main Villain of ‘Agatha: Coven of Chaos’

With filming on the Marvel Studios D+ streaming series Agatha: Coven of Chaos set to kick off over the next couple of months, news on the project has been rapidly accumulating. Joe Locke has seemingly been cast in the role of Billy Kaplan and Aubrey Plaza has also joined the project as one of a group of female supporting characters, likely witches of the titular coven. Now, new info from the Illuminerdi may have revealed the villain of the piece.

According to the report, the series is looking to cast a female to portray a “strong, evil and ancient soul” in a recurring, supporting role. The character is described as having “a chilling effect” simply through her presence and the studio is looking for actresses with previous experience with motion capture who also have either stunt or dance experience.

As is typically the case, the casting call does not reveal the true nature of the character, but in a series about witches, Chaos magic and those with experience with the Darkhold, no character comes to mind faster than ancient witch Morgan Le Fay. Ironically enough, Le Fay was among a group of characters who came to mind as a potential role for Plaza. Le Fay is about as ancient and chilling as it gets, having been alive in the comics since around 18,000 BC. As always, Marvel Studios had no comment on the casting, so audiences shall wait to find out just who the character is.

Source: Illuminerdi

November 11, 2022
REPORT: Joe Locke’s Role Seemingly Revealed as ‘Agatha: Coven of Chaos’ Casting Wiccan’s Parents

Following the casting of actor Joe Locke in an unrevealed role in Marvel Studios D+ streaming series Agatha: Coven of Chaos, social media seemed divided over just who the Heartstopper star would play. Locke certainly bears an uncanny resemblance to Marvel Comics’ Young Avenger Billy Kaplan and the description of Locke’s character as gay, male lead with a dark sense of humor and a penchant for being a fanboy fits the character perfectly. However, it wouldn’t be the internet if a little-known and hardly-used character from the comics didn’t suddenly develop a devoted fanbase and so, such a base now exists in support of Locke playing Nicholas Scratch, the adult son of Agatha Harkness. While almost all the evidence available and information from scoopers reliable and otherwise points toward Locke playing Billy Kaplan, aka Wiccan, the rising Cult of Scratch drones on…until now.

A new report from The Illuminerdi has dealt what should be the poisoned Kool-Aid to the Cult of Scratch, reporting that Maria Dizzia has been cast as a Jewish woman in a recurring role that is being paired with a Jewish man of the same age. While Dizzia’s casting is not new news, she had been reported by trades to be playing one of several witches who are expected to be associated with Kathryn Hahn’s title character.

The casting of two Jewish characters in their 40s should prove the final piece of evidence In the comics, Rebecca and Jeff Kaplan are Reform Jews and the parents of Billy Kaplan who it turns out is the reincarnated soul of Billy Maximoff. As the Illuminerdi report states, while there is no official word from Marvel, the two characters, who are expected to appear in 1-3 episodes, are almost certainly the Kaplans, meaning the series’ lead will indeed by Billy Kaplan and not crusty, musty Nicholas Scratch.

Updating…

Source: The Illuminerdi

November 11, 2022
Super No More: ‘Like ‘Black Adam’, ‘Wakanda Forever’ Won’t Hit Theaters in China

Guard your pockets, Hollywood. China likes to hit where it hurts.

It’s no secret that China is heavy on the control of the content that its citizens can access. Superhero movies are no different. The move to restrict these movies from hitting theatres costs studios tens of millions.

Despite allowing the first Black Panther movie to be distributed, the latest installment is denied without much insight into the decision. Several in the industry suspect that Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is facing backlash due to the depiction of the character Aneka, played by Michaela Cole and fellow Dora bodyguard Ayo, played by Florence Kasumba, in a gay relationship. Other movies like Thor: Love and Thunder and Pixar’s Lightyear have met the same fate.

While Black Panther: Wakanda Forever likely survives without that revenue, Black Adam needed a serious boost. The film has earned $321 million globally, but production costs were a whopping $200 million. In addition, there is suspicion that this film is facing a battle because of the inclusion of Pierce Brosnan. Brosnan posted a photo two years ago with the Dalai Lama, a public figure viewed in Beijing as a “dangerous separatist.” In years past, the Chinese box office for superhero films worked out to be a significant portion of the global take. With

It’s your move, Disney and Warner Brothers.

November 11, 2022
‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ Outpacing the Original at the Box Office After Thursday Night Previews

As the release of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever drew nearer, box office estimates for the film continued to rise. Most projections have the film pulling in between $175-185M domestically over the opening weekend, but last night’s previews may indicate those numbers are a bit on the low side. According to a trade report, the sequel opened with a massive $28M Thursday, good for 15th all-time at the box office.

2018’s Black Panther took in $25M, which served as an early indicator that its opening weekend predictions may have been a bit low. That film eventually went on to rake $202M over its opening weekend, making Wakanda Forever’s first weekend worth watching. Critics have responded well to it overall and social media buzz around the film seems to be growing after early sentiment that audiences may lose interest following the death of Chadwick Boseman and the choice not to recast T’Challa.

Though most estimates had it lower, there were some experts who felt Wakanda Forever could open close to $200M, which would put give it the largest opening weekend of 2022, topping Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. The film, which introduces one of Marvel Comics’ oldest characters, Namor, pits the nations of Wakanda and Talokan against one another in the wake of the loss of T’Challa, King and Black Panther of Wakanda.

Source: Variety

November 11, 2022