Michaela Coel Joins Black Panther II
Report says Coel is already in Atlanta’s Pinewood Studios with director Ryan Coogler…
In just under a year, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever will hit theaters (on July 9, 2022).
Today, as the production (and July weather) heats up, we got a piece of big news. Marvel Studios recently brought in Michaela Coel to join the cast of the Black Panther sequel.
Image: New York Magazine/Ruth Ossai
Black Panther II Adds Coel
In an exclusive for Variety, Matt Donnelly posted:
Michaela Coel has joined the ensemble cast of #BlackPantherWakandaForever, the sequel to the Oscar-nominated top-grossing Marvel film #BlackPanther. https://t.co/5yk7GYak5P pic.twitter.com/KfmSDw8GhG
— Variety (@Variety) July 21, 2021
Character details are locked up, per usual. Insiders say Coel has joined director Ryan Coogler at Atlanta’s Pinewood Studios, where production began last month. Marvel Studios declined to comment on the matter.
Donnelly added, “Coel exploded onto Hollywood’s radar in 2020 with her critically acclaimed HBO Max series ‘I May Destroy You,’ for which she’s received four Emmy nominations.”
Image: Sophy Holland/Variety
“Coel’s credits include the Netflix programs ‘Black Mirror’ and ‘Chewing Gum,’ and the feature films ‘Been So Long’ and ‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi.’”
— Michaela Coel (@MichaelaCoel) December 22, 2020
Gizmodo’s Germain Lussier reminded readers:
All signs point to Letitia Wright, Winston Duke, Lupita Nyong’s, Danai Gurira, and Angela Bassett returning for the sequel, which is rumored to explore more of Wakanda as a country.
Expectations couldn’t be higher for the film though. The first Black Panther grossed $700 million domestic (only the fourth film ever to do so) on its way to Marvel’s first Oscar nomination for Best Picture.
Remembering Chadwick Boseman
Of course, the whole world was stunned when the star of the first Black Panther movie, Chadwick Boseman, passed away last August at the age of 43.
Chadwick Boseman
“He brought enormous strength, dignity, and depth to his groundbreaking role of Black Panther; shattering myths and stereotypes, becoming a long-awaited hero to millions around the world, and inspiring us all to dream bigger and demand more than the status quo,” said Robert A. Iger, The Walt Disney Company Executive Chairman and Chairman of the Board at the time. “We mourn all that he was, as well as everything he was destined to become. For his friends and millions of fans, his absence from the screen is only eclipsed by his absence from our lives.”
Image: Marvel
More recently, Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige told Variety, “[E]veryone is also very excited to bring the world of Wakanda back to the public and back to the fans. We’re going to do it in a way that would make Chad proud.”
Certainly, the addition of the talented Coel is a huge step in the right direction for Marvel.
Finally, keep it here on MickeyBlog.com for all the news we can track down about Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
Feature Image: Lucasfilm
