The Marvel Cinematic Universe, which began with the 2008 film Iron Man, is a film series based on the comic books published by the American publishing company Marvel, and was the first superhero film in the 2010s. On the 10th anniversary of the series’ inception, a film that changed its history was released. It is the movie Black Panther.
The movie that changed superhero movies.
The movie Black Panther truly changed the history of superhero movies. While the MCU is most popular for the Avengers series, which brings together a variety of heroes, this film was the most successful stand-alone superhero movie of its time. This film was the biggest hit of its time as a stand-alone superhero.
The 2018 U.S. movie box office rankings (annual) are listed below. (Refer to the wiki for 2018 movies.) . Disney had 5 of the top 10 films that year, and seven if you include 20th Century Fox, which they later acquired, showing how strong Disney is.
| Order | Title | Distributing Company | Box office revenue ($) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Black Panther | Disney | $700,059,566 |
| 2 | Avengers: Infinity War | Disney | $678,815,482 |
| 3 | Incredibles 2 | Disney | $608,581,744 |
| 4 | Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom | Universal | $417,719,760 |
| 5 | Aquaman | Warnerbros | $335,061,807 |
| 6 | Deadpool 2 | 20thcenturystudios | $318,491,426 |
| 7 | The Grinch | Universal | $270,620,950 |
| 8 | Mission: Impossible – Fallout | Paramount | $220,159,104 |
| 9 | Ant-Man and the Wasp | Disney | $216,648,740 |
| 10 | Bohemian Rhapsody | 20thcenturystudios | $213,817,348 |
Marvel, in particular, has had difficulty competing in the American film awards race, especially in movies based on American comic books. Before this film, The Dark Knight, based on a DC comic book, was highly acclaimed by critics. However, it was not even nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards, the pinnacle of Hollywood movies. It caused a huge stir around the world.
However, the film became the first Marvel film to be nominated for Best Picture at the Golden Globes and seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture. It was the first time an American comic book and a superhero film had been nominated for Best Picture, a feat that had been impossible until then. It is a significant turning point in history.
Black Panther (2018) has been nominated in the following seven categories at the 91st Academy Awards. The nominated awards are listed below. (The 91st Academy Awards | 2019)
- Costume Design
- Music (Original Score)
- Song Award (“All The Stars”)
- Best Picture
- Production Design
- Sound Editing
- Sound Mixing
Black Hero Films by Blacks
The movie Black Panther was released in theaters in the United States in February. It has a very significant meaning. Every February is Black History Month, a tradition in the United States to honor the history of African Americans.
Ryan Coogler directed the film. Although he has not produced many films, they have succeeded both critically and at the box office. He has made many films related to his black roots. The protagonist, Black Panther, is a black hero and the head of a fictional African nation called Wakanda. Chadwick Boseman, who plays him, is also a black actor. Most of the other characters in the film are also black, and the actors are all from the same root. Also, many of the production staff have African roots, making this a film that brought together African workers worldwide. This film attracted significant attention, as there are many productions with African-American performers but all Caucasians on the production staff.
Although this film was made in English, the characters speak English with intonation slightly different from that of so-called native English. It also has a meaning, and is based on the setting, which is that Wakanda is a country that another country has never ruled. Considering their history of being brought to the U.S. as enslaved people, the world depicted in this film may be an ideal world for them, which made me think a lot.
New Heroes of the MCU
Black Panther is an excellent entertainment film. With its stylish music, direction, great story, and spectacular action scenes, the film is so entertaining that its 134-minute running time is almost too short.
The main character, T’Challa, a.k.a. Black Panther, is the driving force behind this film. His first appearance in the movie was in the Captain America series’ Civil War.
In this film, he is the young king of Wakanda. While reckless and mischievous in his youth, he also had a calm, noble spirit. He is a character who has taken on a role that has never existed before. Unfortunately, with the passing of Chadwick Boseman, who played him, it is a great shame and a significant loss that his story will not continue.
Killmonger, the villain of the film, complemented the Black Panther. He is played by Michael B. Jordan, an integral part of Coogler’s films. Killmonger is genuinely a fascinating villain and has won many fans. Films with strong villains are usually successful. This film was no exception. T’Challa and his complex and intertwined life gave the story depth and won the hearts of many.
Unlike previous Marvel heroes, Black Panther has an eye-catching fighting style that emphasizes speed and agility, rather than power types like the Hulk. It features actions that combine traditional African martial arts with modern fighting techniques, and the supple and agile movements of the main character T’Challa (Black Panther) stand out for their uniqueness compared to other Marvel productions.
And the Vibranium (Vibranium) armor worn by Black Panther, with its superior shock absorption and energy conduction, is very stylish, with lines that glow when it is filled with energy during battle. The CG battles that used the latest technology and the meat-and-potatoes combat (bare-knuckle fighting in the throne-succession ceremony) were exquisitely balanced in these battle scenes.
Summary
The movie Black Panther created a new page in cinema history. It was made not only as a superhero movie based on an American comic book but also as a movie that meant a great deal to people of African descent. With many elements of entertainment and a strong lead character, this film is one in which the villain is also a powerful attraction. I can say that it is a film that I hope many people will experience.
