BY NAN News Writer
News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Thurs. Oct. 27, 2022: Caribbean star power is definitely shining in the new Marvel Studios’ “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” movie that is set to hit cinemas on Nov. 11th.
Tobagonian actor Winston Duke as well as Guyanese actress Letitia Wright return in the new Black Panther movie which also features the Bob Marley classic cover ‘No Woman, No Cry,’ by Tems, and music by Barbadian superstar Rihanna.
Duke returns as Jabari tribe leader M’Baku while Wright’s returns as Shuri in “Black Panther 2.”
Following the death of King T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman), the sequel film centers on his mother Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett) warning against the underwater King of Talokan, Namor (Huerta), who threatens to take over the surface world.
Shuri (Wright), M’Baku (Duke), Okoye (Danai Gurira), and the Dora Milaje (Florence Kasumba) fight to protect their nation from intervening world powers in the wake of King T’Challa’s death.
As the Wakandans strive to embrace their next chapter, the heroes must band together with the help of War Dog Nakia (Lupita Nyong’o) and Everett Ross (Martin Freeman) and forge a new path for the kingdom of Wakanda. The film also stars Michaela Coel, Mabel Cadena, and Alex Livinalli.
Rihanna
Meanwhile, Barbadian-born star Rihanna is making her long-awaited return to music with “Lift Me Up,” the lead single on Marvel’s blockbuster sequel.
The song, a tribute to the life and legacy of Chadwick Boseman, who played King T’Challa in the original “Black Panther,” died of colon cancer in 2020 at the age of 43, was written by Tems, Ludwig Göransson, Rihanna and director Ryan Coogler.
It will be released tomorrow, Friday, Oct. 28 in advance of the movie, which premieres in theaters.
Rihanna’s own Westbury Road label is releasing “Lift Me Up” in partnership with Roc Nation, Def Jam Recordings and Hollywood Records.
Marvel in a press release says the song “ushers in the next era of Rihanna’s iconic career.”
Purple Carpet
All three Caribbean born stars were on hand at the world premiere of “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California, on October 26, 2022.
Wright walked the purple carpet paying tribute to the late actor by wearing a crystal-embellished suit that brought back memories of Boseman’s 2018 Oscars outfit.
Wearing a black Alexander McQueen suit trimmed with chunky, clear stones dripping down from the shoulders, the 28-year-old actress looked stunning as she attended the premiere.
The slim-fitting trouser suit, which is part of the British fashion house’s spring/summer 2023 pre-collection, looked strikingly similar to the Givenchy outfit Boseman wore to the Academy Awards the year the first Marvel film was released.
Forecast
Based on early estimates, the movie is expected to earn at least $175 million in its opening weekend, which would mark one of the biggest debuts of the year. In 2018, the original “Black Panther” became an instant success, launching to $202 million and ultimately grossing $700.4 million domestically and $1.3 billion globally. It’s likely the sequel will also cross $1 billion at the worldwide box office.
PREVIEW
