Unless you are a die-hard Marvel fan, knowing everything about the MCU can be a tedious task. Well, not many knew about ‘Black Panther’ until he made his cinematic appearance in ‘Captain America: Civil War’. He is one of the most important heroes in the Marvel stable and with just a couple of weeks away from the release of his own stand-alone superhero film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the excitement to know more about the enigmatic character is creating quite a buzz. ‘Get On Up’ star Chadwick Boseman will be seen playing ‘Black Panther’ while Michael B Jordan will be seen donning the antagonist Eric Killmonger’s awesome suit. We also have Academy award winner Lupita Nyong’O playing the role of Nakia.
Helmed by Ryan Coolger, the story begins after the death of T’Challa’s father. He returns home to an isolated and technologically advanced nation to take his place as the rightful King of Wakanda. But a powerful enemy reappears and T’Challa’s valour and loyalty is tested. The fate of his kingdom and the world is at risk. It’s time for him to take charge and kick some serious ass.
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But before the Monarch of Wakanda makes his official cinematic debut, a source close to the film revealed some exclusive facts to MensXP, giving us a bit of insight into one of the most anticipated Marvel films of the year.
1. The Casting Of The Dora Milaje
An essential part of Black Panther lore that has been incorporated into the film are the Dora Milaje. They are the cadre of strong fierce women who serve the King and royal family as their royal force. “Not many know but the security force feature a huge range of woman from different continents. The Dora Milaje were cast from a pool of actresses, stunt women and Broadway dancers so that each individual Dora could have specialized skills that they brought to the table,” shares the source.
2. Getting A Hang Of African Style Martial Arts
Another interesting fact is how the cast and stunt team practiced with African drums played by musician Jabari Exum so that their movements would have a musical quality found in many African-based martial arts.
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3. The Cast Performed Their Own Stunts
The stunt and action scenes of ‘Black Panther’ will have hooked fans to the screen. But what’s really amazing is the fact that most of the stunts were performed by the cast themselves. “The cast did the majority of the fight scenes on their own. Chadwick Boseman, has a comprehensive martial arts background, which made him perfect pick for the role. He knew and all the other actors knew what they were in for when they were asked to attend a “boot camp” to prepare them for the physically for their characters.”
4. Michael B Jordan’s Makeup
You wouldn’t believe it but Michael B. Jordan spent more than 2 hours every day in the makeup chair. It took makeup designer Joel Harlow and three other makeup assistants who would apply 90 individually sculpted silicone moulds to his upper body. “It was one hell of a job, placing those moulds and then painting and blending the colors as per his skin tone and texture.”
5. A Mythical Land With A Real Language
The on-screen spoken language of the kingdom of Wakanda is Xhosa. “It’s one of the ways the makers are trying to ensure that they bring in some authenticity. A precedent had been set in Marvel Studios’ ‘Captain America: Civil War’, when actor John Kani, who portrayed King T’Chaka, used his native accent. Chadwick Boseman has picked up the accent from him as well. Though the whole film is in English, but you will see the use of Xhosa in some places,” shared the source.
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6. Warrior Falls
The whole construction of the Warrior Falls set took almost four months. “The set was somewhat 120′ x 75′ in size and 36′ tall and the entire set is 100 feet tall. The team really worked hard to match the look of the rocks in Oribi Gorge in South Africa. One will see what exactly I am taking about once they watch the film.”
The Black Panther cast is leaving no stone unturned in promoting their film. The film also stars Danai Gurira, Martin Freeman, Daniel Kaluuya, Letitia Wright, Winston Duke, with Angela Bassett, with Forest Whitaker, and Andy Serkis in vital roles. It will hit theatres on the 16th of February 2018.
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