It’s not hard to say that few could’ve handled the burden of making another Black Panther film after the passing of Chadwick Boseman. After all, he was Black Panther in all the ways that mattered. It’s true that actors have been replaced in the Marvel Cinematic Universe in the past, but that was due to creative issues or other reasons. With Boseman, this was the first time a beloved actor died, and they had to move on without them. Recasting was an option, but they didn’t want to try and replace Boseman or what he did, not even with CGI. Thus, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever was always going to be a hard film to make. But director Ryan Coogler and the cast got it done, and the results speak for themselves.

The film’s world premiere happened last night and was a star-studded event by all accounts. Through that premiere, we got the film’s first reactions, which were overwhelmingly positive. Most of the responses praised the “emotional” film and loved how they handled the death of T’Challa and got the characters to grieve his loss; something that was no doubt cathartic to the cast as they had to deal with their own emotions on the loss of Boseman.

One critic praised it as the best MCU film in years. Saying that the scope, the look, and the emotion of it all filled up their heart. The cast as a whole got a lot of praise, which is great because they were the ones that were being counted on to carry the film through this turbulent time in MCU history. Many “reviewers” were clear to note that it was still a “comic book movie” full of action and global stakes, but it never lost sight of the goal of this being a tribute to a fallen friend as much as it is an MCU film.

Thoughts on the villain of Namor were a bit mixed. One person called him “a force,” while another said his motivations were “weak.” That same person called out the runtime of the film. But as in all things, you’ll need to go to the movie to judge it yourself.

However, we’re sure all MCU fans will appreciate that this film takes its tone seriously. The first movie was famous for having comedy but making it feel earned. Other MCU films and shows have tried to jam comedy down the audience’s throats to make them laugh. That isn’t happening here based on the reactions, and that’s a good thing. Not all movies have to be emphatically light-hearted. Some can be profound, emotional, moving, and inspirational beyond the “hero’s journey” we see all too often.

So be ready to cry and grieve alongside the cast and characters when Black Panther: Wakanda Forever arrives in theaters on November 11th.

Source: ComicBook.com