Should one man have all that power? Kanye’s declaration has been the predominant theme of Ta-Nehisi Coates’s Black Panther comic book series from Marvel, and it appears the new movie is asking that same question. A new poster for Marvel’s Black Panther, from director Ryan Coogler and hitting theaters early next year, shows Prince T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman) on the throne of Wakanda as its defender king, the Black Panther.
Debuting on social media early Friday morning, the poster for Black Panther is of the typical hyper-realistic/CGI mold that’s plaguing most movie posters today, but the thrill of seeing one of Marvel’s most interesting superheroes finally get his big screen treatment is enough to excite. Unlike the maligned Spider-Man: Homecoming poster that tried to imitate Drew Struzan (known by his posters for Blade Runner, The Thing, Back to the Future, The Goonies, and more), and did everything wrong, Black Panther scales back on spectacle and focuses on T’Challa’s quiet intensity.
There’s a lot riding on Marvel’s Black Panther, not only because it’s the final film before the colossal Avengers: Infinity War, which will premiere a short three months later. As one of the most high-profile superhero movies starring a predominantly black cast, many fans are crossing their fingers for Black Panther to blow up so studios will warm up to actors of color headlining blockbuster superhero movies. (Wesley Snipes famously starred in the Blade trilogy in the late ‘90s/early ‘00s, but that was before anyone took superhero movies seriously.)
The poster reveal also confirms that a teaser trailer will premiere tonight during Game 4 of the NBA Finals, between the Warriors and the Cavaliers. Go Cavs.
See the poster for Black Panther below.
Marvel’s Black Panther will be released on February 16, 2018.
