Details
Movie TitleBlack Panther
Release DateFebruary 16, 2018 in the United States
TaglineLong live the king.
Runtime134 minutes / 2 hours 14 minutes
DirectorRyan Coogler
Screenplay Written ByRyan Coogler and Joe Robert Cole
Based OnMarvel Comics character created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby
Is It a Remake?No. It is a Marvel Cinematic Universe superhero film and the first MCU solo film centered on Black Panther.
BudgetApproximately $200 million
Box OfficeApprox. $700.4 million domestic / Approx. $1.35 billion worldwide
Main Cast
Chadwick BosemanT’Challa / Black Panther
Michael B. JordanErik Killmonger
Lupita Nyong’oNakia
Danai GuriraOkoye
Martin FreemanEverett K. Ross
Daniel KaluuyaW’Kabi
Letitia WrightShuri
Winston DukeM’Baku
Angela BassettRamonda
Forest WhitakerZuri
Andy SerkisUlysses Klaue
Sterling K. BrownN’Jobu
Florence KasumbaAyo
John KaniT’Chaka
Isaach de BankoléRiver Tribe Elder
Awards
⭐ Academy Award Winner — Best Costume Design, Ruth E. Carter
⭐ Academy Award Winner — Best Production Design, Hannah Beachler and Jay Hart
⭐ Academy Award Winner — Best Original Score, Ludwig Göransson
⭐ Academy Award Nominee — Best Picture
⭐ Academy Award Nominee — Best Original Song, “All the Stars”
⭐ Academy Award Nominee — Best Sound Editing
⭐ Academy Award Nominee — Best Sound Mixing
⭐ Golden Globe Nominee — Best Motion Picture, Drama
⭐ Screen Actors Guild Award Winner — Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
⭐ AFI Awards Honoree — Movie of the Year
Short Plot Summary
After the death of his father, T’Challa returns home to Wakanda to take his place as king. But when Ulysses Klaue resurfaces and a powerful outsider named Erik Killmonger challenges the throne, T’Challa must confront Wakanda’s hidden past, defend his people, and decide whether his nation should remain isolated or step into the world as a force for change.
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Key Quotes
“Wakanda forever!” — T’Challa
“In times of crisis, the wise build bridges while the foolish build barriers.” — T’Challa
“Just bury me in the ocean with my ancestors that jumped from the ships.” — Killmonger
“I never freeze.” — T’Challa
“I am not dead!” — M’Baku
“This corset is really uncomfortable, so can we all just wrap it up and go home?” — Shuri
Trivia
Director
- Black Panther was directed by Ryan Coogler, who had previously directed Fruitvale Station and Creed.
- Coogler co-wrote the screenplay with Joe Robert Cole.
- The film was the first superhero movie to receive an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture.
- Coogler’s approach combines superhero storytelling, political conflict, Afrofuturist world-building, family tragedy, and questions of isolationism versus global responsibility.
Cast / Casting
- Chadwick Boseman returned as T’Challa after first playing the character in Captain America: Civil War.
- Michael B. Jordan plays Erik Killmonger, a villain whose personal pain and political anger made him one of the MCU’s most discussed antagonists.
- Letitia Wright’s Shuri quickly became a breakout character thanks to her humor, intelligence, and tech-heavy role in Wakanda.
- Danai Gurira leads the Dora Milaje as Okoye, one of Wakanda’s fiercest warriors.
- Winston Duke made a major impression as M’Baku, blending intimidation, humor, and Jabari Tribe leadership.
Soundtrack / Score
- Ludwig Göransson composed the film’s score, which won the Academy Award for Best Original Score.
- Göransson researched African musical traditions and worked with Senegalese musician Baaba Maal on the score.
- Kendrick Lamar curated and produced the companion album Black Panther: The Album.
- “All the Stars” by Kendrick Lamar and SZA received an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song.
Location
- The story is set primarily in the fictional African nation of Wakanda.
- Additional story locations include Oakland, London, and Busan, South Korea.
- Production included filming in Atlanta, Georgia, and Busan, South Korea.
- The Busan car chase became one of the film’s major action set pieces, combining casino espionage, street pursuit, and Wakandan tech.
Behind-The-Scenes
- The film was produced by Kevin Feige for Marvel Studios.
- Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures released the movie domestically on February 16, 2018.
- Ruth E. Carter’s Oscar win for costume design and Hannah Beachler’s Oscar win for production design were historic firsts for Black artists in their categories.
- The movie grossed more than $1.3 billion worldwide and became one of the highest-grossing films of 2018.
- The film’s opening weekend reached more than $200 million domestically, becoming one of the biggest openings in box office history at the time.
Nostalgia
- Black Panther became a cultural event, not just a Marvel release.
- Wakanda’s design, language, costumes, music, and technology gave the MCU one of its most distinct fictional worlds.
- Chadwick Boseman’s performance as T’Challa became even more meaningful after his death in 2020.
- The film’s “Wakanda Forever” salute became an instantly recognizable pop-culture symbol.
Easter Eggs
- Stan Lee makes a cameo in the South Korea casino sequence.
- The post-credits scene features Bucky Barnes, connecting the film to Captain America: Civil War and future MCU events.
- Killmonger’s scars represent his claimed kills and visually reinforce his military past and emotional damage.
- Shuri’s line about T’Challa’s sandals became a fan-favorite sibling roast.
- The film’s final Oakland outreach scene circles back to the movie’s opening and reframes Wakanda’s future mission.
Misc.
- Black Panther is rated PG-13 for prolonged sequences of action violence and a brief rude gesture.
- Rotten Tomatoes lists the film with a 96% Tomatometer score and a 79% audience score.
- Metacritic lists the film with a Metascore of 88, indicating universal acclaim.
- The film was the second-highest-grossing movie worldwide in 2018, behind Avengers: Infinity War.
- Your 3 Guys and a Flick ratings page lists Black Panther as Episode 87, with Don rating it 4.75, Ken rating it 4.75, Jon rating it 4.50, and an overall rating of 4.67.
Sources Cited
3 Guys and a Flick — Episode 87: Black Panther
3 Guys and a Flick — Show Notes
3 Guys and a Flick — Ratings
IMDb — Black Panther
IMDb — Full Cast & Crew
IMDb — Awards
IMDb — Quotes
IMDb — Taglines
IMDb — Soundtrack
IMDb — Filming Locations
Marvel — Black Panther
Oscars.org — 91st Academy Awards
Golden Globes — Black Panther
AFI Awards 2018 — Black Panther
Box Office Mojo — Black Panther
Box Office Mojo — Release Details
The Numbers — Black Panther
Rotten Tomatoes — Black Panther
Metacritic — Black Panther
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