I suspect that like many people, I found myself rewatching the Black Panther over the weekend in the wake of the death of Chadwick Boseman. I find myself still impressed by the thought which went into developing this film. The combination of the superhero and afro-futurism genres was, and still is, a unique bit of filmmaking.
My opinion of the film hasn’t changed. In fact, a few things have become even more crystallized. One, Chadwick Boseman was a regal and iconic figure as T’Challa . He will forever be tied to this role and viewed much in the same way as Bruce Lee and James Dean have been over the years. All of them were amazing actors who died far too soon, but who still left an indelible impact on the global stage. Two, Michael B. Jordan was equally amazing in the film and effortlessly embodied the latent rage and anger which many black men feel about justice, or the lack thereof in America. Jordan’s Killmonger wasn’t a true villain in my eyes. While he was blinded by his rage and anger, many of the points which he makes throughout the film are valid and justifies SOME of his more extreme actions.
And finally three, with the death of Boseman the mantle of the Panther must now be passed to a new actor. It is my hope that they do not recast T’Challa and instead, as was done in the comics, pass the mantle to his sister Shuri. The crowning of a powerful and supremely intelligent black female as the lead in the next Black Panther movie might be the only thing which could equal, or possibly surpass, the first film.