Ryan Coogler had a lot of scrapped plans for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, and yet even after losing their main titular hero, Chadwick Boseman, the director still managed to pull off one of the most emotional MCU films on screen. One of the most emotional scenes they had to film was the ending, as detailed by Black Panther 2 cinematographer, Autumn Durald Arkapaw.
Recently speaking with The Hollywood Reporter, Arkapaw hints that to get the exact natural lighting they had in store for the ending, it had to be shot at the end of the day, where they had the perfect set-up for ending the film. Check out his full story below:
“Ryan [Coogler] and I wanted to [shoot] at the end of the day. That was the best light for the angle we wanted. And we got a little bit lucky; there was a lot of wind that day, and the trees were blowing. There wasn’t a ton of cloud cover. You got that nice, beautiful flare coming in the lens.”
After all, Shuri (played by Letitia Wright) had not only lost her older brother, T’Challa, but even her own mother, Queen Ramonda (played by Angela Bassett), and to further emphasize the impact of the scene, Coogler and Arkapaw encapsulated the entirety of the movie’s message on a beach in Puerto Rico.
“Their performance is so sensitive and beautiful. That’s one of the most impactful shots I’ve ever shot, as far as everything timing out to be so beautiful and natural. And on a beach in Puerto Rico, where we’re watching the sunset right behind her… it encapsulates what this movie is. It’s about family and it’s about rebirth. It’s about trying to let go of grief, but it does stay with you, and sometimes you have to carry it with you, and you’re reminded of it.” Arkapaw continues on to say, “It’s one of the most beautiful endings I think I’ve seen.”
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever will start streaming on Disney+ this coming January 20, 2023.
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