Movies - TV
Coogler Explains The Inside Joke Behind A Big Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Moment
By VALERIE ETTENHOFER
"Black Panther" brought Wakanda to vibrant life, and its sequel, “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” explored the underwater depths of Talokan, an Atlantis-like city. Audiences got a closer look at the Talokan forces when a group of Namor's supporters kidnaps Shuri and Riri Williams — as well as a big surprise: whales act as allies to the aquatic army.
Director Ryan Coogler spoke about the moment that Okoye sees the massive creatures and relays the experience to M'Baku. "The whole movie, Okoye is very cynical — our most cynical characters are probably her and M'Baku," Coogler explained, "and it was always an inside joke for us to have those two be the ones that encounter the whales and just how crazy that is."
Coogler and co-writer Joe Robert Cole chose to have the two characters who seem most resistant to being awe-struck encounter the impressive animals, and it makes for some great moments of levity in the film. Coogler said, “I always thought it was a little bit comical, for this thing that's so dangerous to look like it looks, and to be so massive and kind of crazy.”