Michelle Obama, former First Lady of the United States praised the recently released Marvel superhero film &quot;Black Panther&quot;.&nbsp;

She called the movie &quot;an inspirational piece&nbsp;of art&nbsp;that would drive people to embrace their individuality, irrespective of their culture&quot;.

Taking to Twitter, Obama wrote: &quot;Congrats to the entire #blackpanther team! Because of you, young people will finally see superheroes that look like them on the big screen. I loved this movie and I know it will inspire people of all backgrounds to dig deep and find the courage to be heroes of their own stories.&quot;

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Congrats to the entire <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/blackpanther?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#blackpanther</a> team! Because of you, young people will finally see superheroes that look like them on the big screen. I loved this movie and I know it will inspire people of all backgrounds to dig deep and find the courage to be heroes of their own stories.
&mdash; Michelle Obama (@MichelleObama) <a href="https://twitter.com/MichelleObama/status/965641575584935936?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 19, 2018</a></blockquote>
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&quot;Black Panther&quot; is the first Marvel film to be led by a person of colour and features a virtually <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/entertainment-black-panther-stars-on-the-importance-of-african-culture-in-marvel-film-31277" target="_blank">all-black </a>cast with <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/entertainment-sea-change-moment-chadwick-boseman-on-black-panther-success-33480" target="_blank">Chadwick&nbsp;Boseman</a>, Michael B Jordan, Lupita Nyong&#39;o, Danai Gurira, Andy Serkis, Martin Freeman among others.

Earning great reviews for its storyline, acting and presentation, Marvel&#39;s Black Panther is also proving itself at the box office -- in the US it has received the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/entertainment-marvels-black-panther-collects-record-rs-1240-cr-in-opening-weekend-worldwide-33381" target="_blank">fifth-biggest opening of all time</a> by raking in a whopping $192 million (Rs 1239.45 crore) in the first weekend.&nbsp;

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Marvel's new superhero film is different from any other released before

Michelle Obama, former First Lady of the United States praised the recently released Marvel superhero film "Black Panther". She called the movie "an inspirational piece of art that would drive people to embrace their individuality, irrespective of their culture". Taking to Twitter, Obama wrote: "Congrats to the entire #blackpanther team! Because of you, young people will finally see superheroes that look like them on the big screen. I loved this movie and I know it will inspire people of all backgrounds to dig deep and find the courage to be heroes of their own stories." Congrats to the entire #blackpanther team! Because of you, young people will finally see superheroes that look like them on the big screen. I loved this movie and I know it will inspire people of all backgrounds to dig deep and find the courage to be heroes of their own stories. — Michelle Obama (@MichelleObama) February 19, 2018 × "Black Panther" is the first Marvel film to be led by a person of colour and features a virtually all-black cast with Chadwick Boseman, Michael B Jordan, Lupita Nyong'o, Danai Gurira, Andy Serkis, Martin Freeman among others. Earning great reviews for its storyline, acting and presentation, Marvel's Black Panther is also proving itself at the box office -- in the US it has received the fifth-biggest opening of all time by raking in a whopping $192 million (Rs 1239.45 crore) in the first weekend.

Michelle Obama on 'Black Panther': People will finally see superheroes that look like them

Los Angeles: Actor Chadwick Boseman believes the success of &quot;Black Panther&quot; has led to a moment of reckoning in the entertainment industry as it has forced people to change their attitudes towards black people and their stories.

The 41-year-old actor, who portrays Marvel&#39;s first black superhero, channelled the character&#39;s spirit on the Rolling Stone cover for which he went shirtless. 
 
&quot;It&#39;s a sea-change moment,&quot; Boseman told the magazine. 
 
&quot;I still remember the excitement people had seeing Malcolm X. And this is greater, because it includes other people, too,&quot; he added. 
 
Boseman also talked about the Hollywood double-standards where the producers would go to great lengths to find an immensely talented white actor but do not make the same commitment to find an equally talented black actor. 
&quot;Every year, agents fly to Australia to find the next great white actor. But where are they taking 14-hour flights to find the next black person?&quot; Boseman said. 
 
&quot;There&#39;s a lot of great things happening. If you think about Barry (Jenkins), Ava (DuVernay), Ryan (Coogler) &ndash; it&#39;s a renaissance of black film. But it&#39;s still not enough. It&#39;s a numbers thing. If you have 15 shots, I got three. If you have nine chances to mess up, I have one. Each one of us knows that if you mess up, your career is done. I see the intensity. I see how Ryan is. If you have a dud, you&#39;ll never work in this town again,&quot; he added. 
 
He believes the black culture has an abundance of stories that can be showed on-screen, yet are still untouched. 
 
&quot;There&#39;s a plethora of stories in our culture that haven&#39;t been told because Hollywood didn&#39;t believe they were viable. It would be cool to see slices of history that you haven&#39;t seen with African figures. 
 
&quot;Like Africans in Europe - the Moors in Spain. Or if you go to Portugal, they have statues of black people all over the place. So not only have we been here. But we&#39;ve directly affected everything that you think is European,&quot; Boseman said. 
 
He also acknowledged the budget and manpower that went into the making of the film given it has a virtually all-black star cast. 
 
&quot;The money and manpower it takes to create this entire African world -- it&#39;s a huge production. But this is not Star Wars --this is a black superhero movie!&quot; he said. 
 
Boseman said what appealed to him in the film was that it had predominately black actors and was set in Africa. 
 
&quot;Some (black) actors will say, &#39;I don&#39;t want to play a character just because he&#39;s black.&#39; And that&#39;s great, I&#39;m not saying they&#39;re wrong. But that&#39;s missing all the richness that&#39;s been whitewashed,&quot; he added. PTI RB SHD BK 20021329

He believes the black culture has an abundance of stories that can be showed on-screen, yet are still untouched.

Los Angeles: Actor Chadwick Boseman believes the success of "Black Panther" has led to a moment of reckoning in the entertainment industry as it has forced people to change their attitudes towards black people and their stories. The 41-year-old actor, who portrays Marvel's first black superhero, channelled the character's spirit on the Rolling Stone cover for which he went shirtless. "It's a sea-change moment," Boseman told the magazine. "I still remember the excitement people had seeing Malcolm X. And this is greater, because it includes other people, too," he added. Boseman also talked about the Hollywood double-standards where the producers would go to great lengths to find an immensely talented white actor but do not make the same commitment to find an equally talented black actor. "Every year, agents fly to Australia to find the next great white actor. But where are they taking 14-hour flights to find the next black person?" Boseman said. "There's a lot of great things happening. If you think about Barry (Jenkins), Ava (DuVernay), Ryan (Coogler) – it's a renaissance of black film. But it's still not enough. It's a numbers thing. If you have 15 shots, I got three. If you have nine chances to mess up, I have one. Each one of us knows that if you mess up, your career is done. I see the intensity. I see how Ryan is. If you have a dud, you'll never work in this town again," he added. He believes the black culture has an abundance of stories that can be showed on-screen, yet are still untouched. "There's a plethora of stories in our culture that haven't been told because Hollywood didn't believe they were viable. It would be cool to see slices of history that you haven't seen with African figures. "Like Africans in Europe - the Moors in Spain. Or if you go to Portugal, they have statues of black people all over the place. So not only have we been here. But we've directly affected everything that you think is European," Boseman said. He also acknowledged the budget and manpower that went into the making of the film given it has a virtually all-black star cast. "The money and manpower it takes to create this entire African world -- it's a huge production. But this is not Star Wars --this is a black superhero movie!" he said. Boseman said what appealed to him in the film was that it had predominately black actors and was set in Africa. "Some (black) actors will say, 'I don't want to play a character just because he's black.' And that's great, I'm not saying they're wrong. But that's missing all the richness that's been whitewashed," he added. PTI RB SHD BK 20021329

Sea-change moment: Chadwick Boseman on 'Black Panther' success

Black Panther has been creating formidable impact at the Box Office ever since it released on Friday. The film, not only is being lapped up by the masses but has also been hailed as a game-changer for Hollywood. Not the just the movie, the album for the Black Panther, featuring songs by Kendrick Lamar, The Weeknd, SZA, Khalid and more, has also been doing well as it debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart.

The set, which features music from and inspired by the blockbuster Marvel Studios film, garnered the biggest week for a soundtrack - in terms of total units earned - in a year and a half, reports billboard.com.

The Billboard 200 chart ranks the most popular albums of the week in the US, based on multi-metric consumption, which includes traditional album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent albums (SEA).&nbsp;

The album includes a number of songs by Lamar, who curated and produced the hip-hop-heavy album with Top Dawg Entertainment`s founder/CEO Anthony &quot;Top Dawg&quot; Tiffith.&nbsp;

Among the 14 songs from the Black Panther: The Album, only three are heard in the film.&nbsp; 
 
Incidentally, this is the first time in Marvel Cinematic Universe history that Marvel Studios has integrated multiple original recordings specifically for a film.&nbsp; 
 
Meanwhile, the film has been doing well at the box office as well as it earned nearly $218 million in the first four days in North America.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Much like the film, Black Panther Album is also doing well.

Black Panther has been creating formidable impact at the Box Office ever since it released on Friday. The film, not only is being lapped up by the masses but has also been hailed as a game-changer for Hollywood. Not the just the movie, the album for the Black Panther, featuring songs by Kendrick Lamar, The Weeknd, SZA, Khalid and more, has also been doing well as it debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart. The set, which features music from and inspired by the blockbuster Marvel Studios film, garnered the biggest week for a soundtrack - in terms of total units earned - in a year and a half, reports billboard.com. The Billboard 200 chart ranks the most popular albums of the week in the US, based on multi-metric consumption, which includes traditional album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent albums (SEA). The album includes a number of songs by Lamar, who curated and produced the hip-hop-heavy album with Top Dawg Entertainment`s founder/CEO Anthony "Top Dawg" Tiffith. Among the 14 songs from the Black Panther: The Album, only three are heard in the film. Incidentally, this is the first time in Marvel Cinematic Universe history that Marvel Studios has integrated multiple original recordings specifically for a film. Meanwhile, the film has been doing well at the box office as well as it earned nearly $218 million in the first four days in North America.

Black Panther's album tops Billboard 200 Chart

The past few years have witnessed a gamut of superhero film from Marvel and DC comics. Some have been known, some introduced in the cinematic universe for the first time. Most superhero films, in fact, follow the same trajectory. An individual with extraordinary superpowers fighting the evil who is hell bent upon disrupting world peace and claim dominance over it. It is then left upon our superhero, to save the world and thereby save the humanity. This is the main crux of every superhero film. But Marvel Cinematic Universe&#39;s latest offering, Black Panther, stands out as it not only introduces the first non-white superhero but also lets its main protagonist search deeper within as he fights one of his own.&nbsp; 
 
Directed by Ryan Coogler, Black Panther is the 18th Marvel film and perhaps, culturally, the most relevant of them all. Based on the comic book character that was first introduced in 1966, Black Panther narrates the story a fictional land called Wakanda- a remote area in Africa surrounded by hills all around. The country which secretly survives and advances because of its vast reserve of the world&#39;s most powerful metal vibranium,&nbsp;but projects a completely different life to the world outside. Termed as a &#39;third world country&#39; by the the world, Wakanda in reality is light years ahead.&nbsp; 
 
The kingdom&#39;s newly appointed King T&#39;Challa (Chadwick Boseman) or the Black Panther is entrusted with an important mission soon after his elaborate coronation. He has to go fetch Ulysses Klaue(Andy Serkis), a villainous arms dealer who has breached the defenses of Wakanda. The pursuit of Klaue takes him to Busan, South Korea along with his general Okoye(Danai Gurira) and Nakia(Lupita Nyong&#39;o) - a Wakanda spy and his ex. And though they manage to capture Klaue with a bit of help from a CIA Agent Ross(Martin Freeman), Klaue manages to escape while in custody with the help of an ex CIA agent Eric(Michael B Jordan) who goes by the name of &#39;Killmonger&#39;.

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Michael B Jordan and Chadwick Boseman in a still from the Black Panther (Others)
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It turns out that Eric is the son of a Wakanda rogue who broke away from the kingdom years ago and was eventually killed. Eric is now back in his land, to seek revenge and claim what he rightfully thinks is his own. And thus begins a journey of fighting one&#39;s own for T&#39;Challa, who is conflicted within- whether to fight back or meekly give in for he feels he and his forefathers have wronged Eric.&nbsp; 
 
The canvas, of course, is massive. And Coogler brings out the vibrant African culture to the fore and infuses it with technical advancement. Wakanda is a utopian land, where the people are steeped in&nbsp;culture&nbsp;yet are one of the most advanced nations in the world thanks to the wealth, the vast reserve of vibranium which powers practically everything around them. There also lies conflicting opinion within Wakanda on how one should use their wealth and resources. One group believes that they should remain allusive- not revealing to the world their strength. While the other feels the wealth can be helped in eradicating poverty of fellow African brothers. And T&#39;Challa treads into an unknown role where he has to be the just king and be true to his ancestry but also carve his own path. 
 
One of the biggest strength of Black Panther is its stellar star cast. Be the lead or the delightful cameos, it&#39;s a delight to watch such talented cast come together for a film. Chadwick Boseman plays the titular character with restraint. Like most stand-alone superhero films, Boseman&#39;s character is conflicted within, burdened by the great responsibilities that have been bestowed upon him. Boseman plays the righteous Black Panther with absolute ease.&nbsp;

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A scene from Black Panther. (Others)
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Black Panther also has the incredible Lupita Nyong&#39;o playing T&#39;Challa&#39;s ex who not just proves to be an able warrior in times of crisis but also serves as T&#39;Challa&#39;s inner voice and conscience keeper. The film has Michael B Jordan who plays the jilted, conflicted Eric with absolute panache and it has Danai Gurira as Okoye, one of the best written female characters in any superhero film. She is feisty, loyal and full of spunk!&nbsp; 
 
In fact, Coogler and co-writer Joe Robert Cole make you root for the female characters more. Okoye, Nakia, and T&#39;Challa&#39;s sister Shuri(Letitia Wright)- the brain behind all the technological advancement in the land - are strong women, and are a delight to watch on the screen. These characters are not there to add glamour, but they play an important part in the narrative.&nbsp;

Since its the first break out film for the comic book hero, a lot of the film is spent in establishing his story which can be a bit tedious after a point. The superhero action scenes are therefore restricted to only certain parts. Nevertheless, they manage to thrill. Especially the chase scene on the streets of Busan where the audience gets the first glimpse of Black Panther&#39;s incredible superpowers.&nbsp;

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A still from Black Panther. (Others)
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Laced with subtle humour, the film also highlights that how the world is mostly ignorant about Africa and its people. It also briefly touches upon the monumental movement of the 1960s that took place in America and how it change the political landscape of the country forever.

<iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/xjDjIWPwcPU" width="560"></iframe> 
 
Above all, Black Panther should be lauded for bringing in a change. It is not as fun as previous year&#39;s Thor:Ragnarok&nbsp;but it is a relevant film for the present times. While it doesn&#39;t even come close to end the white supremacy in the superhero universe, it surely breaks the monotony by opening up the culturally rich Africa to the world. Hopefully, this too will become a successful franchise in the coming years and compel people to think beyond the usual.&nbsp; 
 
Ratings: 3/5

Black Panther is culturally relevant with a stellar star cast.

The past few years have witnessed a gamut of superhero film from Marvel and DC comics. Some have been known, some introduced in the cinematic universe for the first time. Most superhero films, in fact, follow the same trajectory. An individual with extraordinary superpowers fighting the evil who is hell bent upon disrupting world peace and claim dominance over it. It is then left upon our superhero, to save the world and thereby save the humanity. This is the main crux of every superhero film. But Marvel Cinematic Universe's latest offering, Black Panther, stands out as it not only introduces the first non-white superhero but also lets its main protagonist search deeper within as he fights one of his own. Directed by Ryan Coogler, Black Panther is the 18th Marvel film and perhaps, culturally, the most relevant of them all. Based on the comic book character that was first introduced in 1966, Black Panther narrates the story a fictional land called Wakanda- a remote area in Africa surrounded by hills all around. The country which secretly survives and advances because of its vast reserve of the world's most powerful metal vibranium, but projects a completely different life to the world outside. Termed as a 'third world country' by the the world, Wakanda in reality is light years ahead. The kingdom's newly appointed King T'Challa (Chadwick Boseman) or the Black Panther is entrusted with an important mission soon after his elaborate coronation. He has to go fetch Ulysses Klaue(Andy Serkis), a villainous arms dealer who has breached the defenses of Wakanda. The pursuit of Klaue takes him to Busan, South Korea along with his general Okoye(Danai Gurira) and Nakia(Lupita Nyong'o) - a Wakanda spy and his ex. And though they manage to capture Klaue with a bit of help from a CIA Agent Ross(Martin Freeman), Klaue manages to escape while in custody with the help of an ex CIA agent Eric(Michael B Jordan) who goes by the name of 'Killmonger'. Michael B Jordan and Chadwick Boseman in a still from the Black Panther (Others) × It turns out that Eric is the son of a Wakanda rogue who broke away from the kingdom years ago and was eventually killed. Eric is now back in his land, to seek revenge and claim what he rightfully thinks is his own. And thus begins a journey of fighting one's own for T'Challa, who is conflicted within- whether to fight back or meekly give in for he feels he and his forefathers have wronged Eric. The canvas, of course, is massive. And Coogler brings out the vibrant African culture to the fore and infuses it with technical advancement. Wakanda is a utopian land, where the people are steeped in culture yet are one of the most advanced nations in the world thanks to the wealth, the vast reserve of vibranium which powers practically everything around them. There also lies conflicting opinion within Wakanda on how one should use their wealth and resources. One group believes that they should remain allusive- not revealing to the world their strength. While the other feels the wealth can be helped in eradicating poverty of fellow African brothers. And T'Challa treads into an unknown role where he has to be the just king and be true to his ancestry but also carve his own path. One of the biggest strength of Black Panther is its stellar star cast. Be the lead or the delightful cameos, it's a delight to watch such talented cast come together for a film. Chadwick Boseman plays the titular character with restraint. Like most stand-alone superhero films, Boseman's character is conflicted within, burdened by the great responsibilities that have been bestowed upon him. Boseman plays the righteous Black Panther with absolute ease. A scene from Black Panther. (Others) × Black Panther also has the incredible Lupita Nyong'o playing T'Challa's ex who not just proves to be an able warrior in times of crisis but also serves as T'Challa's inner voice and conscience keeper. The film has Michael B Jordan who plays the jilted, conflicted Eric with absolute panache and it has Danai Gurira as Okoye, one of the best written female characters in any superhero film. She is feisty, loyal and full of spunk! In fact, Coogler and co-writer Joe Robert Cole make you root for the female characters more. Okoye, Nakia, and T'Challa's sister Shuri(Letitia Wright)- the brain behind all the technological advancement in the land - are strong women, and are a delight to watch on the screen. These characters are not there to add glamour, but they play an important part in the narrative. Since its the first break out film for the comic book hero, a lot of the film is spent in establishing his story which can be a bit tedious after a point. The superhero action scenes are therefore restricted to only certain parts. Nevertheless, they manage to thrill. Especially the chase scene on the streets of Busan where the audience gets the first glimpse of Black Panther's incredible superpowers. A still from Black Panther. (Others) × Laced with subtle humour, the film also highlights that how the world is mostly ignorant about Africa and its people. It also briefly touches upon the monumental movement of the 1960s that took place in America and how it change the political landscape of the country forever. Above all, Black Panther should be lauded for bringing in a change. It is not as fun as previous year's Thor:Ragnarok but it is a relevant film for the present times. While it doesn't even come close to end the white supremacy in the superhero universe, it surely breaks the monotony by opening up the culturally rich Africa to the world. Hopefully, this too will become a successful franchise in the coming years and compel people to think beyond the usual. Ratings: 3/5

Black Panther review: The film claws its way into the white-dominated superhero universe

One of Marvel Cinematic Universe&#39;s biggest films&nbsp;Black Panther&nbsp;is set to release this Friday. But the film that features Chadwick Boseman as the first African superhero is more than just a superhero film. It is of course expected to be a major box office smash, but that&#39;s not why the film is relevant to our times.The film has taken on the mantle of cultural talisman, a touchstone on which moviegoers of color worldwide are pinning their hopes. 
 
The 18th entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, opening Friday worldwide, features an almost entirely black cast led by Boseman as the first non-white superhero to get his own standalone movie in the lucrative franchise.&nbsp; 
The film from Disney-owned Marvel Studios is expected to break opening weekend box office records and has spawned headlines and social media buzz worldwide about its significance as a game changer for racial representation in cinema.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;We put our heart and soul into it because we knew it was a great opportunity,&quot; Boseman, 41, said during a Twitter Q&amp;A on Monday. 
 
&quot;But to see how people have responded to it when they haven`t even seen the movie yet, it`s unlike anything I`ve ever seen. It`s crazy.&quot; 
 
Boseman (Message from the King, Marshall) plays the titular superhero in Black Panther,&nbsp;also known as T`Challa, king and protector of the technologically advanced fictional African nation of Wakanda. 
 
His star-studded support cast is made up of African Americans Michael B Jordan, Danai Gurira, Angela Bassett and Forest Whitaker, English actors Daniel Kaluuya and Letitia Wright -- Kaluuya is of Ugandan heritage while Wright grew up in Guyana -- and Kenyan-Mexican Lupita Nyong`o. 
 
With two Oscar winners (Nyong`o and Whitaker) and two nominees (Kaluuya and Bassett), as well as a hatful of Golden Globes nods, the super-cast features some of the most accomplished black actors working in cinema today. 
Wakanda, almost a character in itself, changes the stereotype of Africa as victim by projecting an affluent, resource-rich, never-colonized utopia doing its own soul-searching over taking in refugees from poorer nations.&quot;What this movie represents... is a story and point of view that is universal in its appeal yet very grounded in African American culture,&quot; Paul Dergarabedian, a senior media analyst for comScore, told a news agency. 
 
&quot;Its universal themes will allow it to become a worldwide phenomenon while at the same time representing a really important moment in film, breaking down barriers and outmoded ideas about what is commercially viable.&quot; 
 
With five million posts, Black Panther&nbsp;is the most tweeted-about movie of 2018 -- ahead even of Star Wars: The Last Jedi&nbsp;-- and is outperforming The Hunger Games&nbsp;and Beauty and the Beast&nbsp;in pre-sales.&nbsp;

Experts are predicting a $150-165 million opening which would challenge the $152 million Presidents Day weekend record set by another Marvel Comics creation, Fox`s Deadpool&nbsp;(2016).&nbsp; 
 
But Black Panther&nbsp;isn`t the first movie featuring non-white superheroes -- around 30 ethnic characters have donned lycra for big screen appearances since the early 1990s -- but the Wakandan royal is the first black protagonist to land his own movie in the MCU. 
 
&quot;When Ryan and Hannah Beachler, our production designer, came on, they really made it their mission to go to real African sources for inspiration for the costumes and designs of the structures, and even how the city is laid out,&quot; said African American executive producer Nate Moore.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;All that care helped make it real for all of us.&quot; 
 
Various analysts&nbsp;expect the film to do for ethnic diversity what&nbsp;&quot;Wonder Woman&quot; did for women -- which was to persuade executives that blockbusters don`t need white male leads to sell tickets. 
 
(With agency inputs)

The film that features Chadwick Boseman as the first African superhero is more than just a superhero film.

One of Marvel Cinematic Universe's biggest films Black Panther is set to release this Friday. But the film that features Chadwick Boseman as the first African superhero is more than just a superhero film. It is of course expected to be a major box office smash, but that's not why the film is relevant to our times.The film has taken on the mantle of cultural talisman, a touchstone on which moviegoers of color worldwide are pinning their hopes. The 18th entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, opening Friday worldwide, features an almost entirely black cast led by Boseman as the first non-white superhero to get his own standalone movie in the lucrative franchise. The film from Disney-owned Marvel Studios is expected to break opening weekend box office records and has spawned headlines and social media buzz worldwide about its significance as a game changer for racial representation in cinema. "We put our heart and soul into it because we knew it was a great opportunity," Boseman, 41, said during a Twitter Q&A on Monday. "But to see how people have responded to it when they haven`t even seen the movie yet, it`s unlike anything I`ve ever seen. It`s crazy." Boseman (Message from the King, Marshall) plays the titular superhero in Black Panther, also known as T`Challa, king and protector of the technologically advanced fictional African nation of Wakanda. His star-studded support cast is made up of African Americans Michael B Jordan, Danai Gurira, Angela Bassett and Forest Whitaker, English actors Daniel Kaluuya and Letitia Wright -- Kaluuya is of Ugandan heritage while Wright grew up in Guyana -- and Kenyan-Mexican Lupita Nyong`o. With two Oscar winners (Nyong`o and Whitaker) and two nominees (Kaluuya and Bassett), as well as a hatful of Golden Globes nods, the super-cast features some of the most accomplished black actors working in cinema today. Wakanda, almost a character in itself, changes the stereotype of Africa as victim by projecting an affluent, resource-rich, never-colonized utopia doing its own soul-searching over taking in refugees from poorer nations."What this movie represents... is a story and point of view that is universal in its appeal yet very grounded in African American culture," Paul Dergarabedian, a senior media analyst for comScore, told a news agency. "Its universal themes will allow it to become a worldwide phenomenon while at the same time representing a really important moment in film, breaking down barriers and outmoded ideas about what is commercially viable." With five million posts, Black Panther is the most tweeted-about movie of 2018 -- ahead even of Star Wars: The Last Jedi -- and is outperforming The Hunger Games and Beauty and the Beast in pre-sales. Experts are predicting a $150-165 million opening which would challenge the $152 million Presidents Day weekend record set by another Marvel Comics creation, Fox`s Deadpool (2016). But Black Panther isn`t the first movie featuring non-white superheroes -- around 30 ethnic characters have donned lycra for big screen appearances since the early 1990s -- but the Wakandan royal is the first black protagonist to land his own movie in the MCU. "When Ryan and Hannah Beachler, our production designer, came on, they really made it their mission to go to real African sources for inspiration for the costumes and designs of the structures, and even how the city is laid out," said African American executive producer Nate Moore. "All that care helped make it real for all of us." Various analysts expect the film to do for ethnic diversity what "Wonder Woman" did for women -- which was to persuade executives that blockbusters don`t need white male leads to sell tickets. (With agency inputs)

Why Marvel's Black Panther is more than just a superhero movie

The stars of Black Panther&nbsp;dressed in their finest African-inspired royal attire and spoke about the importance of representing a black superhero story on screen at the premiere of the new film from Walt Disney Co`s Marvel Entertainment. 
 
Chadwick Boseman, who plays T`Challa, the titular hero and king of fictional African nation Wakanda, led his co-stars including Lupita Nyong`o, Daniel Kaluuya, Michael B. Jordan, Danai Gurira and Angela Bassett, on the purple carpet on Monday. 
 
&quot;Something like Marvel has a way of really affecting popular culture, and to have that popular culture informed with things that are of African origin and people knowing they are of African origin ... is powerful,&quot; Nyong`o, who plays warrior Nakia, told Reuters.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;Hopefully it changes the general idea of what being an African is. Too often times we see Africa as a place that is wanting and here it`s a place that you want to go,&quot; she said. 
 
The Oscar-winning actress matched the purple carpet in an amethyst-hued Versace gown with gold-detailed shoulders and belt. Gurira wore a bright pink Viktor &amp; Rolf dress with a dramatic shoulder ruffle, and Bassett opted for a golden yellow Naeem Khan fringe jumpsuit.&nbsp; 
 
The men also served up colorful looks. Boseman rocked a gilded print Emporio Armani suit, actor Donald Glover opted for a tangerine Dolce &amp; Gabbana suit, and the film`s director, Ryan Coogler, added a printed scarf to his black Ikire Jones suit, a Philadelphia label that draws from West African influences.&nbsp; 
 
Black Panther,&nbsp;out in theaters on Feb. 16, earned rave early reactions from attendees at the premiere, including Guardians of the Galaxy&nbsp;director James Gunn, who praised the film as an &quot;extraordinary work.&quot;&nbsp; 
 
&quot;It`s just filled with so much talent, so much beauty, the aesthetic of it is so pleasing and so black and Afro-centric and African and modern and worldly and futuristic. You know, it`s got a lot of swag. This movie is on fire,&quot; said Bassett, who plays T`Challa`s mother.&nbsp; 
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The stars of Black Panther dressed in their finest African-inspired royal attire and spoke about the importance of representing a black superhero story on screen at the premiere of the new film

The stars of Black Panther dressed in their finest African-inspired royal attire and spoke about the importance of representing a black superhero story on screen at the premiere of the new film from Walt Disney Co`s Marvel Entertainment. Chadwick Boseman, who plays T`Challa, the titular hero and king of fictional African nation Wakanda, led his co-stars including Lupita Nyong`o, Daniel Kaluuya, Michael B. Jordan, Danai Gurira and Angela Bassett, on the purple carpet on Monday. "Something like Marvel has a way of really affecting popular culture, and to have that popular culture informed with things that are of African origin and people knowing they are of African origin ... is powerful," Nyong`o, who plays warrior Nakia, told Reuters. "Hopefully it changes the general idea of what being an African is. Too often times we see Africa as a place that is wanting and here it`s a place that you want to go," she said. The Oscar-winning actress matched the purple carpet in an amethyst-hued Versace gown with gold-detailed shoulders and belt. Gurira wore a bright pink Viktor & Rolf dress with a dramatic shoulder ruffle, and Bassett opted for a golden yellow Naeem Khan fringe jumpsuit. The men also served up colorful looks. Boseman rocked a gilded print Emporio Armani suit, actor Donald Glover opted for a tangerine Dolce & Gabbana suit, and the film`s director, Ryan Coogler, added a printed scarf to his black Ikire Jones suit, a Philadelphia label that draws from West African influences. Black Panther, out in theaters on Feb. 16, earned rave early reactions from attendees at the premiere, including Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn, who praised the film as an "extraordinary work." "It`s just filled with so much talent, so much beauty, the aesthetic of it is so pleasing and so black and Afro-centric and African and modern and worldly and futuristic. You know, it`s got a lot of swag. This movie is on fire," said Bassett, who plays T`Challa`s mother.

'Black Panther' stars on the importance of African culture in a Marvel film

Marvel Studios announced on Thursday that filming had begun on its latest superhero epic which for the first time will feature a black actor, Chadwick Boseman, in the titular role.

The news comes just after a record number of black actors were nominated for this year&#39;s Oscars and as Hollywood pushes for more diversity.

Boseman will play the lead role in the hotly anticipated &quot;Black Panther&quot; alongside a star-studded cast including Michael B. Jordan, Oscar winner Lupita Nyong&#39;o, Angela Bassett and Forest Whitaker.

The film follows the events after 2016&#39;s &quot;Captain America: Civil War,&quot; in which Boseman appeared as Marvel&#39;s first African superhero, but not in the lead role.

The movie was the year&#39;s biggest box office hit, amassing $1.15 billion worldwide.

In &quot;Black Panther,&quot; T&#39;Challa (Boseman) returns home to the isolated, technologically advanced African nation of Wakanda to take his place as its king, Marvel said in a statement.

&quot;However, when an old enemy reappears on the radar, T&#39;Challa&#39;s mettle as King and Black Panther is tested when he is drawn into a conflict that puts the entire fate of Wakanda and the world at risk,&quot; it added.

&quot;Black Panther,&quot; which is being filmed in Atlanta and South Korea, is scheduled for release in February of next year.

(AFP)

Chadwick Boseman will essay the role of T'Challa in the Black Panther movie which will follow the events of 'Captain America: Civil War'

Marvel Studios announced on Thursday that filming had begun on its latest superhero epic which for the first time will feature a black actor, Chadwick Boseman, in the titular role. The news comes just after a record number of black actors were nominated for this year's Oscars and as Hollywood pushes for more diversity. Boseman will play the lead role in the hotly anticipated "Black Panther" alongside a star-studded cast including Michael B. Jordan, Oscar winner Lupita Nyong'o, Angela Bassett and Forest Whitaker. The film follows the events after 2016's "Captain America: Civil War," in which Boseman appeared as Marvel's first African superhero, but not in the lead role. The movie was the year's biggest box office hit, amassing $1.15 billion worldwide. In "Black Panther," T'Challa (Boseman) returns home to the isolated, technologically advanced African nation of Wakanda to take his place as its king, Marvel said in a statement. "However, when an old enemy reappears on the radar, T'Challa's mettle as King and Black Panther is tested when he is drawn into a conflict that puts the entire fate of Wakanda and the world at risk," it added. "Black Panther," which is being filmed in Atlanta and South Korea, is scheduled for release in February of next year. (AFP)

Filming begins for first Marvel superhero movie with black actor in lead