BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER Director Discusses Pressure of Making the Sequel and the Possibility of a Third Film

I can only imagine how hard it must have been to figure out how to the story for a Black Panther sequel after Chadwick Boseman passed away. You know for a fact that director Ryan Coogler and the rest of the creative team were feeling a ton of pressure. But, even before that, the pressure was on because the first film was such a huge success, pulling in over a billion dollars at the box office!

During a recent interview with io9, Coogler opened up about the pressure of making Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, as well as the possibility of a third film. He shared:

“When we were in Atlanta making that first one back in 2017, we were in our own little bubble. So all of the pressure kind of felt like it was with us. And as we got closer to release, the anticipation and the size of people’s expectations started to become more present to the point that we became aware of it. But for a long time, it was kind of our little secret. The details of it, the tribes, what was going to happen, what the characters look like, what they were going to do. That was all our thing.”

“[There] was a lot of pressure but not like once you released a film and you’re expected to follow it up. And what my co-writer Joe Robert Cole and Nate [Moore, producer] and I wanted to do - and we would talk with Chadwick [Boseman] about this as well in preparation for going off a second one - we wanted to make sure that we retained the qualities that made the first film unique, but also expanded the world and opened it up and really deliver something beautiful to the audiences. So that was our intention.”

Nate Moore, went on to share his thoughts on the incredible pressure saying:

“You certainly feel the pressure, just because the audience response was so powerful. to make sure that going back to Wakanda was as engaging as it was the first time around. [But]...to have a movie hit in that way A) Surprised us and B) Oh man, how do we top that?”

As far as a possible third Black Panther film goes, Moore would obviously be happy to see Coogler return to direct it. This is something that Marvel has already begun discussing. When asked about this he said:

“That’s the million-dollar question. Look, you never want to count your chickens before they hatch and the movie’s not out yet. Right now it’s like, let’s see how people respond to this film. But the hope is audiences demand that we make another one and certainly, there have been ideas thrown around. So we’ll see.”

Coogler isn’t really sure about coming back for a third film, though, saying:

“I haven’t thought about it, to be honest. When it comes to writing and directing, I’m not the world’s greatest multitasker. I kind of got to do what is in front of me and be singular. When it comes to producing, I’m more geared up to be able to do multiple things. And to plan things, I’ve got a great production company and fantastic collaborators that can help move things along. But when it comes to writing, and in this case, co-writing and directing, I’ve got to finish what’s in front of me and then and then think of all that is happening after that.”

If Marvel does end up making a third Black Panther film, it’s hard to think that Coogler wouldn’t return. This is his corner of the MCU that he played a huge part in building! I think it makes sense for him to see it through and make at least one more film.

In the upcoming film, Queen Ramonda, Shuri, M’Baku, Okoye, and the Dora Milaje fight to protect their nation from intervening world powers in the wake of King T’Challa’s death. When Namor, king of a hidden undersea nation, alerts them to a global threat and his disturbing plan to thwart it, the Wakandans band together with the help of War Dog Nakia and Everett Ross and forge a new path for the kingdom of Wakanda.

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is being directed by Ryan Coogler, and the movie will bring back Danai Gurira, Letitia Wright, Daniel Kaluuya, Winston Duke, Lupita Nyong’o, Florence Kasumba, Angela Bassett, and Martin Freeman.

Black Panther Wakanda Forever opens November 11.