Black Panther: Wakanda Forever to Get French Release Despite Windowing Regulations Affecting Disney+

The Marvel sequel Black Panther: Wakanda Forever will be released in French theaters, which was up for debate considering France's windowing regulations concerning theaters and Disney+. The sequel to 2018's Black Panther is one of the more highly-anticipated Marvel films, considering how Wakanda Forever honors the memory of the late Chadwick Boseman, while also introducing Namor to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. MCU movies typically head to Disney+ after spending time in theaters, but the amount of time before a film debuts on the streaming service can vary depending on the country. For Marvel fans and Disney+ subscribers in France, there is confirmation of these details regarding Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. 

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever arrives in French theaters on November 9th, two days ahead of its U.S. release. Deadline reports on the concerns over France's windowing system, which originally placed Disney movies under a 17-month delay between a film releasing in theater and then moving to Disney+. The media timeline was reportedly updated in January, with Disney choosing to bypass the French windowing system for the animated Strange Worlds. The animated flick skipped French theaters and was sent to Disney+ instead. 

A Disney statement provided to Deadline reads, "Following the French authorities' acknowledgement that the Media Chronology needs to be modernized and setting a clear timeline for those discussions, The Walt Disney Company will move forward with a French cinematic release of Marvel Studios' Black Panther: Wakanda Forever on 9 November. Consequently, the film will not be available to Disney+ subscribers in France until Spring 2024, due to the current windowing framework.  

"As we have stated before, we believe the chronology is anti-consumer and puts all studios at increased risk for piracy, which is why the majority of the stakeholders agree that it needs to be completely revised. We will remain actively engaged in the upcoming meetings and we will work closely with the CNC, the Ministry of Culture and the various other stakeholders in order to try and find a quick and equitable solution for all parties. In the meantime, we will continue to make future release decisions on a film-by-film basis."  

Who Are the New Characters in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever? 

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever will continue exploring the larger world of Wakanda, as Lupita Nyongo'o and Letitia Wright tease some of the surprises and new characters set to appear, such as Riri Williams and Tenoch Huerta's Namor the Sub-Mariner.

"My enemies call me Namor," Huerta said in a Black Panther: Wakanda Forever featurette. "The opportunity to play a character like this. It's a dream."

Riri Williams, played by Dominique Thorne, is a young genius who builds her own Iron Man-esque armor. She makes her Marvel debut in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, before starring in her own solo series on Disney+.

As for Namor, instead of hailing from Atlantis, the MCU version of the Sub-Mariner rules over Talocan, which comes from Aztec mythology. Namor has also been confirmed to be a mutant in the MCU.

What Is the Release Date for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever?

Tickets for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever are on sale now. The movie premieres November 11th, only in theaters.