Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Director Reveals How Chadwick Boseman Protected Creative Team

By Aaron Perine

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever's official podcast featured a story of how Ryan Coogler came to meet Chadwick Boseman. Ta-Nahesi Coates spoke to his friend about the upcoming film. During their talk, it was revealed that the Black Panther star had been laying the groundwork for his eventual solo debut long before Coogler stepped foot on the scene. Back in the Captain America: Civil War days, the star was already asking tough questions of decision-makers about Wakanda's specific styling. Things like how the character would speak and the little nods toward the country's larger culture. Cleary, Boseman believed in his vision so much that he was willing to plan most of it out ahead before things even really got rolling on the solo project. Check out what the director said right here.

"[Chadwick] was basically there to bring life to the character, but what Chad was also doing was he was protecting us before we were even a thing," Coogler explains. "He was on set, advocating for what Wakanda should be. He was having very, very difficult conversations, conversations that are not easy to have. What is T'Challa going to sound like...he was in there having very difficult conversations with the most prolific, most powerful studio in the world. He was having hard conversations about what Wakanda was going to be, and those conversations relied on his talent."

How Did The Black Panther Podcast Come Together?

Coates had some high praise for his friend and collaborator as the podcast got rolling. "There is no storyteller I admire more than Ryan Coogler," the award-winning writer said. "Any chance to partner with him, Proximity Media and Marvel, is a worthy one. For that opportunity to be a chronicle of the making of 'Black Panther: Wakanda Forever' was simply too good to pass up."

 "Ever since Ryan, Zinzi, and Sev entrusted Proximity's Audio division with this project, our goal has been to tell the story of the making of 'Black Panther: Wakanda Forever' with as much heart and authenticity as the film itself," Proximity Media Head of Audio Paola Mardo wrote in a press release. "With our premiere episode, we've accomplished this goal while breaking new ground in the process, thanks to the awesome collaboration between our incredible host Ta-Nehisi Coates, our talented podcast production team, and our collaborators at Marvel and Disney."

Have you listened to the official Black Panther podcast yet? Let us know down in the comments!

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