The growing cast ofBlack Panther: Wakanda Foreverhas addedI May Destroy Youactress Michaela Coel to its roster. As expected, Marvel has not released any character details as yet, as with such information usually being held under more security than the Asgard Vaults, we will only find out when Marvel are ready. It is believed that Coel has been with director Ryan Coogler at Pinewood Studios in Atlanta, where the production began in June.
Michaela Coelis known for her 2020 seriesI May Destroy You, which won critical acclaim and earned the star four Emmy nominations thanks to her writing, directing producing and starring in the drama. The strong drama focused on a writer attempting to live with the trauma of rape, and was praised by both audiences and critics, and the list of award nominations speaks for itself when it comes to the quality of her work on all aspects of the series. Coel has also written episodes ofBlack MirrorandChewing Gumfor Netflix, as well asthe moviesBeen So LongandStar Wars: The Last Jedi. Unlike many writers and performers in the industry, Coel is not currently under representation by any talent agency, but instead works via her indie label Falkna Productions, which she used to produceI May Destroy You.
Black Pantherarrived in cinemas in 2018 as part of Marvel’s phase three to critical success, box office glory and a wealth of award nominations including a Best Picture nod at the Academy Awards. A sequel was never in doubt, even if it hadn’t been part of theMarvel Cinematic Universe, but thedeath of star Chadwick Bosemanin 2020 changed the movie’s potential sequel storylines forever. WithWakanda Forever, director Ryan Coogler and most of the original cast are returning and along with Marvel Boss Kevin Feige, are all planning on making sure the actor’s legacy is carried forward.
“It’s clearly very emotional without Chad,” Feige said during aBlack Widowpresentation. “But everyone is also very excited to bring theworld of Wakandaback to the public and back to the fans. We’re going to do it in a way that would make Chad proud.”
Danai Gurira, Letitia Wright, Daniel Kaluuya, Winston Duke, Lupita Nyong’o, Florence Kasumba, and Angela Bassett will all likely reprise their roles from the original film, and it is likely not the only time we will see many of the stars back on Wakandan soil, as they are also expected to appear inKingdom of Wakanda, theBlack Panther Disney+ seriesrecently announced by Marvel and Disney. The series will be produced by Coogler and like many of the Marvel spin-off shows, the series looks like it is going to be a massive project considering Coogler’s Proximity Media has signed up to a five year Disney deal to work on the project.
Coogler said: “It’s an honor to be partnering with TheWalt Disney Company. Working with them onBlack Pantherwas a dream come true. We look forward to learning, growing, and building a relationship with audiences all over the world through the Disney platforms. We’re already in the mix on some projects that we can’t wait to share.“Black Panther: Wakanda Foreverarrives in theaters in July 2022, but there is currently no release date for the series. This story originated atDeadline.
