Black Panther: Wakanda Forever first reactions are in

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever had its world premiere in Hollywood on Wednesday evening, and the first reactions from the lucky select few are in.

The first Black Panther movie was an enormous success both critically and commercially, being the only 'superhero' movie to receive an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture.

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Due to its success, and the wider MCU, a sequel was inevitable. However, plans for a Black Panther 2 became unclear after star Chadwick Boseman tragically passed away after losing his battle with cancer.

Eventually, the sequel was commissioned and we now know it focuses on the grief of Wakanda, as T'Challa's death has been written into the plot.

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever will be released on 11 November 2022 and stars Letitia Wright, Lupita Nyong'o, Danai Gurira, Winston Duke, Dominique Thorne, Florence Kasumba, Michaela Coel, Tenoch Huerta, Martin Freeman, and Angela Bassett.

The official embargo for reviews to be published is 8 November, but we can still gauge audience reaction from the premiere.

Here is a selection of those reactions.

"Black Panther: #WakandaForever is as epic as Marvel sequels get. The story is hugely ambitious & thematically rewarding with gut-wrenching twists and turns throughout. You feel the length but it’s fun, wildly beautiful and has the best credits scene in Marvel history, no contest," - @GermainLussier of Gizmodo.

"#WakandaForever is fantastic! Coogler delivers a soulful, wondrous sequel that packs an emotional punch & effectively explores relevant world themes. A beautiful tribute to Boseman’s legacy. Letitia & Tenoch are great, & the mid-credits scene is really moving. #BlackPanther " - @FicoCangiano of CineXpress

"Black Panther Wakanda Forever makes it clear how precious Chadwick Boseman and T’Challa were to the MCU. Without him, the film sometimes yearns for a heartbeat. It finds it at just the right moments, and it’s exhilarating. I can’t wait to see it again. With the loss of Boseman, I think we forget how every Black Panther appearance in the franchise has centered on loss. But this film teaches us a whole new way to mourn. I think a lot of fans need this. Others may want more, and that’s understandable. More will come," - @eavoss of New Rockstars.

Black Panther: #WakandaForever is as epic as Marvel sequels get. The story is hugely ambitious & thematically rewarding with gut-wrenching twists and turns throughout. You feel the length but it’s fun, wildly beautiful and has the best credits scene in Marvel history, no contest. pic.twitter.com/zD8nYIFKXC— Germain Lussier (@GermainLussier) October 27, 2022

"Black Panther: #WakandaForever is Marvel's most poignant and powerful film to date. It's heavy and dark in the way that it needed to be, and mostly abandons the studio's trademark tone. The craft work levels up in every conceivable way, and the performances rise to the occasion." - @PickYourBrian of The Hollywood Reporter.

"Another reason I’m so impressed with #BlackPantherWakandaForever is #RyanCoogler had the impossible task of trying to make a sequel without #ChadwickBoseman & make it feel respectful but also keep the franchise going and he hit a home run. Going to be HUGE hit for @MarvelStudios" - @colliderfrosty of Collider

"No spoilers. Wakanda Forever had so many emotions!!! It was creepy and BRU-TAL in parts. Heartbreaking and beautiful. And the fight scenes were WILD. I’m in awe of the care put into representing these cultures." - @msdanifernandez
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