Now that the Marvel Cinematic Universe is nearly approaching Phase 5, fans are gearing up for Phase 4's highly-anticipated final movie, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
The Black Panther sequel will serve as a tribute to the late Marvel veteran Chadwick Boseman. Following the T'Challa actor's heartbreaking passing, the brave women of Wakanda with the likes of Shuri (Letitia Wright), Nakia (Lupita Nyong'o), and Okoye (Danai Gurira) are all speculated to take on the Black Panther mantle and continue T'Challa's legacy.
In a recent interview with The New York Times, the brilliant female cast of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever discussed Wakanda's lack of sexism.
Mabel Cadena, who will debut in the sequel as Namora, recalled the inspiring legacy of the first movie:
"[It’s been said that] when a woman raises her voice, we all bloom. These words are really inspiring to me, and I think this is the legacy of the first movie. Before this, I had only worked in Mexico City, so working with these women and Ryan completely changed my life and the way I thought about my career. Now, I have new dreams and new expectations about the way I want to make women characters."
Angela Bassett, who will reprise the role of Queen Ramonda, believes that the unity between the cast is also a vital part of the sequel's message:
"It all played out beautifully that I’ve had a bit more experience in my career and that they are coming up and doing the same great work. There’s a lot of respect. But it’s not only about the work that we do; it’s also about how we work with one another. If we lock arms, then it’s a much stronger piece."
Lupita Nyong'o, who plays the fan-beloved Nakia, believes that "gender doesn't exist in Wakanda" and hopes that the film could somehow empower the society:
"The undervaluing of women because of their gender doesn’t exist in Wakanda. We saw that in the first film, which is why it resonated. This new film continues with the conceit that this is a world where those things don’t exist. But the question we’re tackling is not their womanhood. It’s their beliefs, passions, loves and arguments, and it creates a robust drama. Hopefully, the world as we know it watches and is empowered by it, despite itself."
After seeing 2018's Black Panther, Nyongo's statement about Wakanda's lack of sexism absolutely makes sense. In fact, Wakanda was very honorable to women that the female characters are nearly running the country, with the all-female Dora Milaje serving as the special forces and Shuri as the innovator responsible for Wakanda's higher-level technology.
Hollywood is widely known for being sexist, and a lot of women have testified and raised awareness about this issue. But just like what Nyong'o said, let's hope that Black Panther: Wakanda Forever can minimize the rampant sexism in the industry.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever will premiere in theaters on November 11.
Also read: Letitia Wright Finally Addresses Set Injury Which Caused Black Panther 2 Delay
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