---
title: "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever"
year: 2022
kind: "film"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/black-panther-wakanda-forever"
fi1m_score: 66
critics_score: 70
critics_reviews: 26
published: "2026-09-19T12:27:19.206744+00:00"
updated: "2026-09-19T12:27:30.597435+00:00"
region: "US"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022)

Directed by Ryan Coogler · 2h 42m · MPA PG-13 · Action, Adventure, Science Fiction

**Fi1m score: 66** · Critics 70 from 26 reviews

*In a sentence:* Twenty minutes of the finest mourning Marvel has ever managed, then two hours of homework

> Ryan Coogler mourns Chadwick Boseman with dignity, and the grief is the best thing here: Angela Bassett, the white funeral, the long silence. Around it he has to build a Marvel film, and the Marvel film keeps getting in the way.

## Synopsis

Wakanda buries its king. T’Challa has died of an illness his sister Shuri (Letitia Wright) could not cure, and a year later the country is ruled by his mother, Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett), who stands before the United Nations and tells the world it will not be getting Wakanda’s vibranium. Other nations go looking for the metal anyway, and an American ship finds a deposit on the floor of the Atlantic. Something from the deep kills the crew. Namor (Tenoch Huerta), ruler of the underwater nation of Talokan, walks out of the sea to warn Ramonda that the surface world now threatens his people too, and demands she hand over the scientist who built the detector. Shuri and the general Okoye (Danai Gurira) set off to find her: a student called Riri (Dominique Thorne).

## Review

Ryan Coogler’s sequel to [*Black Panther*](https://film.one/film/black-panther) (2018) had to be made without the man it was built around. Chadwick Boseman died in 2020, and rather than recast, Coogler and his co-writer Joe Robert Cole let T’Challa die in the opening minutes, off screen, of an illness his sister could not cure. The film is then about the people he left behind, and it is at its best whenever it trusts that. It is at its worst whenever it remembers that it is also a 162-minute Marvel film with a new villain, a new nation, a new young hero and a CIA subplot to fit in, and it remembers often.

The funeral is the finest stretch. Ruth E. Carter dresses the whole country in white, the procession dances the coffin through the streets rather than carrying it, and Ludwig Göransson’s score drops to drums and voices. For a long while nobody says anything. We were moved more than we expected to be, and the reason is plain: a franchise that usually cannot stop explaining simply stands back and lets a country grieve, and the cast, who lost a colleague, are not asked to pretend otherwise. Angela Bassett plays Ramonda as a woman who has put her grief away in order to govern. Her address to the United Nations is delivered by someone who has decided never to raise her voice again, which is why it counts when she does. Letitia Wright’s Shuri has concluded that science failed her brother and is now angry at everyone, her mother included.

Tenoch Huerta’s Namor is the best new thing in it. He walks out of the surf and addresses a queen as an equal, and he has a case: the surface world is now hunting the same metal his people live on. Hannah Beachler’s Talokan is a proper place, a city on the sea floor lit by an artificial sun, its stonework and Carter’s feathered headdresses drawn from Mesoamerica rather than from other superhero films. The script gives Namor a history and takes its time over it, and it understands that he and Wakanda want the same safety and disagree about how to get it. When the film is a quarrel between two hidden nations, it is good.

It keeps leaving that quarrel. There are three editors credited, Michael P. Shawver, Kelley Dixon and Jennifer Lame, and the film moves like something cut by three people. Scenes are cut off before they finish, and the film breaks away to check on Martin Freeman’s Everett Ross and Julia Louis-Dreyfus’s Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, who belong to another story and, we suspect, to a future one. Dominique Thorne’s Riri is bright and likeable and is here chiefly to be introduced. Winston Duke’s M’Baku gets the few laughs and Michaela Coel, as Aneka, gets almost nothing. Autumn Durald shoots Wakanda in warm daylight and does it well; underwater she has dark blue on dark blue, and the closing battle on a ship at sea is fought in a grey haze in which we could not always tell who was on which deck.

Somewhere past the two-hour mark we were tired, and then cross about being tired by a film whose first twenty minutes had bought so much goodwill. The length is not the problem in itself. The problem is that the length is spent on the parts the studio needs rather than the parts the film needs, and the film knows the difference, because whenever it returns to Bassett or Huerta it steadies at once.

This is more sombre than the first film and less sure of itself. *Black Panther* had a villain whose argument was the film’s own, and it moved. This one has a villain nearly as good and a plot that keeps ushering him off screen to make room for people who will matter later. Coogler’s [*Creed*](https://film.one/film/creed) (2015) also handed a legacy to someone who had not asked for it, and did not need a second nation or a second war to do it.

See it for the funeral, for Bassett and for Huerta. It is worth an evening if the genre is yours, and it will be a long one. It carries a 12A, which is fair, and runs 162 minutes, which is not.

*Fi1m score 66, published 19 September 2026.*

## What the critics say

Most critics like it, and they like it for the same reason: the way Ryan Coogler builds the film around the loss of Chadwick Boseman rather than working around it. The reviews return again and again to the handling of grief, which they find tactful and mature, and to the performances of Angela Bassett and Letitia Wright, who carry the story now that the women of Wakanda are at its centre. The costumes, the production design and the new underwater nation of Talokan are widely admired.

The reservations cluster on length and clutter. Many of the same admirers call it overlong, overstuffed and weighed down by franchise duties, and several note the lack of a strong central hero. The spread is wide. The New Yorker finds duty winning out over passion, Film Comment and Vulture think the grief is handled thinly rather than deeply, and The Telegraph, alone at the bottom, calls it murky and incoherent.

### Reviews we read (26)

- **The Hollywood Reporter**, David Rooney (90/100, inferred): The critic calls it a worthy continuation that delivers an emotionally resonant tribute to Chadwick Boseman while balancing action, character drama, and world-building. It singles out the performances of Letitia Wright and Angela Bassett, along with the stunning costumes and production design, for particular praise. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/black-panther-wakanda-forever-ryan-coogler-sequel-1235256005/)
- **The i Paper**, Christina Newland (85/100, inferred): The film faces Boseman’s death head-on with compelling, smart storytelling that gives characters and audiences space to grieve while introducing a worthy new antagonist in Namor. It lands its emotional tribute without feeling insensitive and keeps the near-three-hour runtime absorbing. [Read](https://inews.co.uk/culture/film/black-panther-wakanda-forever-review-tribute-chadwick-boseman-1959222)
- **Total Film** (85/100, inferred): Coogler honors Boseman and T’Challa with depth, sensitivity and dignity, allowing room for reflection amid the MCU demands. The heartfelt blockbuster rises to its toughest challenge with care, hitting hard where it needs to despite minor stumbles elsewhere. [Read](https://www.gamesradar.com/black-panther-wakanda-forever-review-marvel/)
- **Empire**, Kambole Campbell (80/100, inferred): Framed around Boseman’s absence, the film movingly blends real and fictional loss into a passionate eulogy while delivering strong performances and an imaginative Namor. It stands out from formulaic MCU entries through its sense of place and personal resonance despite a busy plot. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/black-panther-wakanda-forever/)
- **Little White Lies**, Cheyenne Bart-Stewart (5/4/3): The critic praises the film's moving tribute to Chadwick Boseman and its expansion of colonialist themes through strong Black female characters, while noting pacing issues and MCU obligations that create some tedium. [Read](https://lwlies.com/reviews/black-panther-wakanda-forever)
- **Los Angeles Times**, Justin Chang (80/100, inferred): Coogler handles the impossible task of continuing without Boseman with tact and intelligence, turning the film into both an entertainment and an elegy that honors grief while pushing the story forward. The result is unwieldy and somber yet ennobled by its real-world resonance and strong ensemble work, particularly from Bassett. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2022-11-08/black-panther-wakanda-forever-review-ryan-coogler-letitia-wright-angela-bassett)
- **Radio Times** (4/5): The review highlights the film's mature handling of grief and loss following T'Challa's death, commending its emotional depth, female-driven story, and respectful nod to Chadwick Boseman amid strong action and spectacle. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movies/black-panther-wakanda-forever-review/)
- **The Independent** (80/100, inferred): The sequel is draped in tender sorrow following T’Challa’s death, with grief processed through spirituality, denial and rage by the female-led cast. Strong performances and imaginative ideas about legacy and resource control outweigh occasional CGI flaws. [Read](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/reviews/black-panther-wakanda-forever-review-end-credits-chadwick-boseman-b2222877.html)
- **The Times**, Kevin Maher (80/100, inferred): The film transforms the real-life loss of Chadwick Boseman into its central theme and mood, creating a weighty yet lightly delivered story of grief and legacy. Coogler finds fresh angles on familiar superhero formulas with striking visuals and a narrative that acknowledges the franchise's mourning process. [Read](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/film/article/black-panther-wakanda-forever-review-a-smart-superhero-franchise-in-mourning-qp0k3t865)
- **The AV Club**, Todd Gilchrist (B): The review describes an overlong and overstuffed but thoughtful sequel that processes grief with sensitivity while doubling down on the first film’s cultural elements and action. It singles out the handling of loss, the new Talokan world, and complex thematic questions about revenge and sovereignty for praise, while noting the absence of a strong central hero figure. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/black-panther-wakanda-forever-review-letitia-wright-1849740752)
- **The New York Times**, A.O. Scott (75/100, inferred): The sequel honors the loss of Chadwick Boseman by centering the story on the women of Wakanda as they navigate grief and a new threat from the ocean nation of Talokan. It infuses the Marvel formula with somber notes of mourning while maintaining strong performances from Angela Bassett and Letitia Wright. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/09/movies/black-panther-wakanda-forever-review.html)
- **Financial Times**, Danny Leigh (★★★☆☆): The loss of Chadwick Boseman gives the graceful sequel emotional depth, with Letitia Wright rising to the occasion as Shuri in a bruised performance that anchors the film. Despite an overcrowded cast leaving some actors underused, it strikes a note of uplift tied to real tragedy rather than glib superhero tropes. [Read](https://www.ft.com/content/70a4b40a-5088-4cd7-a14e-9d8161c2cebc)
- **The Guardian** (70/100, inferred): The film pays a heartfelt tribute to Chadwick Boseman by shaping the story around grief and loss in Wakanda, now a matriarchy led by Shuri and Ramonda. It features fiery performances, especially from Letitia Wright, alongside bold spectacle while grappling with themes of empire and oppression. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2022/nov/08/black-panther-wakanda-forever-review-chadwick-boseman-letitia-wright-marvel)
- **Variety**, Owen Gleiberman (70/100, inferred): Coogler builds a furious slow-burn sequel around the loss of T’Challa, staging it more as a doom-laden geopolitical thriller focused on the women of Wakanda than a typical Marvel spectacle. It lacks the first film’s pow but delivers emotional suspense and strong character work despite running too long. [Read](https://variety.com/2022/film/reviews/black-panther-wakanda-forever-review-chadwick-boseman-letitia-wright-ryan-coogler-1235420931/)
- **Screen Daily** (60/100, inferred): The critic describes the sequel as ambitious and emotional but uneven, noting it effectively explores bereavement and pays homage to Boseman while struggling with commercial demands that leave a hole at its center. [Read](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/black-panther-wakanda-forever-review/5175977.article)
- **The New Yorker**, Richard Brody (50/100, inferred): The film cannot match the first movie’s dramatic or political excitement, feeling more tethered to franchise demands than to Coogler’s distinctive vision. It assembles a strong cast and flashes of dramatic power but is ultimately overwhelmed by duty over passion. [Read](https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-front-row/black-panther-wakanda-forever-reviewed-when-duty-calls-passion-recedes)
- **Film Comment**, Nicholas Russell (30/100, inferred): The review faults the film for failing to meaningfully explore grief or the political themes of the first film, resulting in a simplistic and rote MCU entry hampered by franchise demands. It singles out the impressive introduction of Talokan and its cultural details for praise while criticizing the overall narrative and emotional handling. [Read](https://www.filmcomment.com/unlimited-resources-black-panther-wakanda-forever-ryan-coogler-review/)
- **Vulture**, Angelica Jade Bastién (30/100, inferred): The critic finds the film overtaxed and threadbare, struggling under the weight of expectations, grief, and MCU constraints to deliver a worthy memorial or compelling sequel. It singles out the rushed editing, surface-level characters, and lack of focus or interiority in the Talokan storyline for criticism. [Read](https://www.vulture.com/article/black-panther-wakanda-forever-review.html)
- **The Telegraph** (1/5): The sequel is one of Marvel's drabbest and most incoherent entries, with murky visuals, turgid dialogue, and emotionally empty scenes that fail to engage. It pales in comparison to the original despite strong elements in the cast and costumes that are poorly lit or underused. [Read](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/0/black-panther-wakanda-forever-review-drab-crushing-disappointment/)
- **Den of Geek**, Don Kaye (4.5/5): The review calls it one of the most emotional and personal MCU films and one of the finest entries in the franchise, a moving tribute to Chadwick Boseman. It singles out the strong ensemble performances, particularly Angela Bassett and Letitia Wright, and the impressive world-building and visuals for Talokan for praise. [Read](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/black-panther-wakanda-forever-review/)
- **Polygon**, Toussaint Egan (85/100, inferred): The critic views it as a thunderous ode to love conquering death, praising the performances, bold storytelling, and emotional exploration of grief, with excellent action and score transforming tragedy into triumph. [Read](https://www.polygon.com/reviews/23447203/black-panther-wakanda-forever-review/)
- **Collider**, Ross Bonaime (B+): The critic praises Coogler's handling of grief and legacy in this somber MCU entry, highlighting strong performances especially from Angela Bassett and Letitia Wright as the film balances mourning with superhero action. The film is seen as one of the best in Phase 4 for its emotional depth. [Read](https://collider.com/black-panther-wakanda-forever-review/)
- **NME**, James Mottram (80/100, inferred): The review describes it as a fitting and magical memorial to Chadwick Boseman that stands out for its mature atmosphere focused on grief and legacy. It singles out the top-grade action sequences and the heartfelt performances reflecting real-life loss for praise. [Read](https://www.nme.com/reviews/film-reviews/black-panther-wakanda-forever-review-chadwick-boseman-marvel-3344219)
- **Deadline**, Pete Hammond (75/100, inferred): The critic finds the emotional sequel largely meets the challenge of moving forward without Chadwick Boseman, paying tribute with dignity and grief while delivering rip-roaring action and strong production values. It singles out the powerful mother/daughter dynamic and the women characters for providing the real sauce, though notes it isn't on the level of the first film. [Read](https://deadline.com/2022/11/black-panther-wakanda-forever-review-emotional-sequel-pays-tribute-to-boseman-and-forges-a-new-path-forward-1235166342/)
- **/Film**, Chris Evangelista (7/10): The film is an overstuffed but emotionally resonant sequel that grapples with grief and legacy after T'Challa's death. It earns praise for its honest emotional core and strong action sequences despite feeling exhausting at times. [Read](https://www.slashfilm.com/1090850/black-panther-wakanda-forever-review-an-overstuffed-action-packed-emotional-sequel/)
- **Paste**, Michael Burgin (8.1): The review commends the fitting tribute to Boseman and the strong direction, design, and cast, noting it as a necessary step forward for the MCU despite being slightly overstuffed. It highlights the new elements like Namor and Shuri's arc positively. [Read](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/marvel/black-panther-wakanda-forever-pays-fitting-tribute)

## Details

- **Director:** Ryan Coogler
- **Director:** Ryan Coogler
- **Screenplay:** Joe Robert Cole, Ryan Coogler
- **Story:** Ryan Coogler
- **Cinematography:** Autumn Durald
- **Editor:** Kelley Dixon, Jennifer Lame, Michael P. Shawver
- **Music:** Ludwig Göransson
- **Production design:** Hannah Beachler
- **Costume design:** Ruth E. Carter
- **Producer:** Nate Moore, Kevin Feige
- **Cast:** Letitia Wright as Shuri; Tenoch Huerta as Namor; Lupita Nyong'o as Nakia; Danai Gurira as Okoye; Winston Duke as M'Baku; Angela Bassett as Ramonda; Martin Freeman as Everett Ross; Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Valentina Allegra de Fontaine
- **Runtime:** 2h 42m
- **Certificate (MPA):** PG-13
- **Release (the US):** 11 November 2022
- **Genres:** Action, Adventure, Science Fiction
- **Budget:** $250 million
- **Box office:** $859 million
- **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Z3QKkl1WyM

## Where to watch in the US

- Disney+: streaming, uhd
- Amazon Prime Video: rent $3.99, uhd
- Amazon Prime Video: buy $9.99, uhd

*Checked 2026-09-19.*

Also available in: AR, AT, AU, BE, BG, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, CZ, DE, DK, EC, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HK, HR, HU, IE, IS, IT, JP, KR, LT, MX, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PE, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SG, SI, TR, US. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## Awards

- Kids' Choice Award for Favorite Movie 2023: Kids' Choice Award for Favorite Movie (nominated)

## If you liked this

- *Black Panther* (2018), Fi1m 80: The first film, with the villain whose argument the whole picture is built around — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/black-panther.md)
- *Creed* (2015), Fi1m 85: Coogler on inheritance and a dead father’s shadow, told at a boxer’s pace — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/creed.md)
- *Logan* (2017), Fi1m 83: A superhero film about age, loss and what you leave behind, with real weather — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/logan.md)
- *The Woman King* (2022): Viola Davis leads an army of women; the fights are clear and the sun is out
- *Atlantics* (2019): Mati Diop’s Dakar ghost story, where the sea takes people and gives some back

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/black-panther-wakanda-forever