Last night, the long-awaited Marvel sequel Black Panther: Wakanda Forever It premiered and actors, crew, and fans from around the world came together to walk the purple carpet and celebrate the movie.
Notably, Chadwick Boseman, who died tragically in 2020 after four years of living with colon cancer, was missing.
But while he was missing in physical form, his spirit lived on through his fellows, who paid him many heartfelt salutations throughout the night:
He has previously shared that the grief over Chadwick’s death nearly made him walk away from filmmaking entirely. he is He saidI was at a point where I felt like, ‘I’m walking away from this business,’ I didn’t know if I could do another movie slot, [let alone] else Black Panther Film, because it hurts so much. I was like, ‘Man, how can I ever open myself up to feeling like this again?’
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Chadwick’s onscreen sister, Letitia Wright, recreated Chadwick’s iconic look at the 2018 Academy Awards.
She previously shared her reluctance to take on a bigger role in the sequel, sayI’ll always have moments of doubt, and I’ll say, ‘Man, I don’t know if I could do that. “I’m just hearing [Chadwick] Be like, ‘Sister, you’re amazing. You got this. I’m so proud of you.’ It really pushed me forward.”
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Many of the attendees—including Ryan Coogler and his wife Zenzie Evans, Chadwick Taylor’s wife Simon Ledward, Lupita Nyong’o, and Tessa Thompson—were dressed in white, the color worn during some funerals in Africa.
White is also worn by many characters throughout the film. Fashion designer Ruth E. Carter He said“In the ancestral plane when T’Challa gets up and sees his father, he wears white. White is the color worn at many funerals in Africa—either bright red or white—and we chose white because it connects us with Chadwick, to T’Challa.”
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During an interview with the red carpet ABC 7Lupita Nyong’o said that this sequel is, first and foremost, intended to pay tribute to Chadwick Boseman. She said, “Our story very much embraces the sadness we feel, and because T’Challa went into this story, the real question at the heart of this story is how do you move forward after tragedy, after loss?” And that’s what we need.”
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Danai Gurira too He said“[Chadwick] It was pioneered by the phenomenon that became the first film. So, in truth, it seems so ingrained in him and rooted in the strength, drive, and generosity of his spirit.”
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Ganecia Adams-Jinnard wore body paint that featured the image of Chadwick on the back.
Ganecia’s appearance was also intended to honor her ancestors. On Instagram, commenting on a video of her taking off her gown on the red carpet, she said, “Pattern the whole body like what my ancestors did to get acquainted with events.”
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Finally, the movie’s theme song, “Lift Me Up,” was written by Timms, Ludwig Goranson, Rihanna, and director Ryan Coogler, and billed as “a tribute to Chadwick Boseman.”
Twitter: @rihanna
In a statement, Tims said, “After speaking with Ryan and hearing his directions for the film and the song, I wanted to write something that depicted a warm hug from all the people I’ve lost in my life. I tried to imagine how I would feel if I could sing to them now and express how much I miss them.”
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever It comes out in theaters everywhere November 11th.
