There is no shortage of excitement for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, the sequel to the 2018 hit MCU film Black Panther, which will be released this November. The film will have reappearances from the original cast with additional characters. Black Panther wowed Marvel fans with its telling of the newest king of Wakanda, T'Challa, and his efforts to protect his people. It made history being the only superhero film to garner an Academy Award nomination.
The movie is regarded for its epic costumes, nail-biting drama, and themes centered around race and identity. Whether starting an MCU marathon or are simply interested in some adrenaline-pinching action, these movies well-enjoyed by Marvel fans are a perfect match for anyone searching for crime-fighting heroes.
Blade (1998)
A Black superhero preceding Boseman's Black Panther, Blade depicts the half-vampire, half-mortal Blade, who protects humans from a vampire uprising. However, these are technologically advanced vampires that he's up against. The vampires need a special blood type in order to follow through with their plan to execute the human race.
The movie is a conventional 1990s tough guy action flick with sci-fi and supernatural movie elements. With Wesley Snipes portraying the human/vampire hybrid, the character Blade was crafted around his persona as well as his skills in martial arts. The film has since proved to be revolutionary for comic book adaptations on a technical and narrative level and serves as an appropriate starting point for MCU movie marathons.
Captain America: Civil War (2016)
The juggernaut Marvel Cinematic Universe's 2016 Captain America: Civil War was a catalyst for T'Challa's own film. Captain America: Civil War first introduced T'Challa as a diplomat from his home country, Wakanda, who soon pursues a vendetta against Bucky Barnes for the death of his father.
This film serves as T'Challa's introduction into the MCU and is essential viewing for those interested in his first foray into the superhero realm. While this film is filled with many Marvel heroes taking opposing sides, T'Challa stands out. His arc in this film is not linear, as he propels much of the action with his manhunt of The Winter Soldier, later taking the high road and proving he's a true hero.
I Am Legend (2007)
In I Am Legend, Will Smith plays Robert Neville, a scientist plagued with the task of finding a cure for a manmade virus that has wiped out almost all mankind. Racing to find a cure, Neville is up against the zombie-like vampires society has turned into as well as the post-apocalyptic elements of a world he once knew.
The story of the movie can be related to ‘never giving up’ attitude of a strong man who has hope that all mankind will be restored in its rightful order. This is also reflected in Black Panther, and the message carries just as strong.
Creed (2015)
Determination to succeed alongside themes of perseverance, Creed is a telling of Adonis Creed, the son of heavyweight champion Apollo Creed, as he embraces his legacy as a boxer. As Adonis seeks mentorship from his father's rival and old friend, Rocky Balboa, the story is a prequel to the beloved Rocky Balboa franchise.
The movie not only stars Michael B. Jordan, who played Killmonger in Black Panther, but also depicts the challenges of taking the place of a well-known and respected predecessor. Several themes run through both films, but one would definitely have to be father-son. Even though Apollo Creed is absent during the part of Adonis' life the film depicts, his presence looms over him as Adonis realizes starting small rather than from the fame of his father, will cause him to prevail.
21 Bridges (2019)
Quite similarly to T'Challa following his father's footsteps as the new king and Black Panther of Wakanda, Andre Davis is seen navigating an interchangeable role in 21 Bridges. Also played by the late Chadwick Boseman, Davis is the son of a cop, who is determined to live up to his legacy while battling against two cop killers in New York City.
21 Bridges is a film whose main character faces problems that parallel T'Challa's. Boseman's Andre Davis traverses New York City's nightlife in search of killers on the loose. By the end of the film, it is revealed the antagonists are not what they seem, and Davis must contend with that. Similarly, in Black Panther, T'Challa's conflict with Killmonger seems black and white, with Killmonger wanting his throne, but his actions as an antagonist are warranted.
The Lion King (1994)
Part of the Disney Renaissance, The Lion King is a timeless retelling of Hamlet that is widely familiar across all audiences. Though stark differences make The Lion King and Black Panther stellar films in their own right, there are similar themes and scenes.
T'Challa and Simba both revisit their deceased fathers in dreamlike sequences, which look somewhat similar. They are also necessary scenes to each character's arc, as they seek out the wisdom of their fathers for how they must pave their ways as kings. Deceit within family also presents interesting storylines in each film, Killmonger relieving himself as cousin and worthy heir to the throne of Wakanda.
American Gangster (2007)
American Gangster is based on a true 1970's American story. Portrayed by Denzel Washington, Harlem crime figure Frank Lucas masterminds a plan to import heroin from Southeast Asia via the U.S. Army. He eludes New York cop Richie Roberts and becomes successful in his feats.
Regarded not only for its storyline and the team of incredible actors that completed its frame, director Ridley Scott nails the aesthetic of the era. The grit and grime of the underbelly which was the American mafia business are matched with heightened scenes that flow into each other. Like the wonderfully realized Afrofuturist setting of Wakanda in Black Panther, American Gangster gives audiences a story that also flows seamlessly within its setting.
The Godfather (1972)
Many are familiar with the story of The Godfather, as it has, since its release in 1972, influenced a plethora of films and media. It has classic themes of loyalty, crime and justice, and the power within family relations. A decision by the head of a family-led mafia, Don Vito Corleone, ultimately puts the family in greater danger.
A lot of elements released through research done by director Ryan Coogler on The Godfather, present themselves in Black Panther. At its core, it's a film that displays the secretive life of a man, T'Challa, in a secretive country that no one knows much of, who works with his family, and once his father dies he must step into that position of power.
Hotel Artemis (2018)
Written and directed by Drew Pierce, Hotel Artemis is a sci-fi crime thriller that was Pierce's directorial debut. The film stars Jodie Foster, Jeff Goldblum, Charlie Day and Sterling K. Brown, whom fans might recognize as T'Challa's uncle N'Jobu.
Set in the near future, Hotel Artemis takes place in 2028 where criminals of all sorts seek aid at a 13-story hospital. A member's only policy, and a no-nonsense, high-tech Nurse portrayed by the highly regarded actress Jodie Foster, she has her hands full on the night the movie is set. Scenes that show characters using futuristic weapons and hi-tech criminals are reminiscent of the technology forged in Wakanda.
Blade Runner (1982)
Blade Runner tells the story of ex-detective Rick Deckard, played by Harrison Ford, who is called out from retirement to fulfill a mission of tracking down and eliminating a team of humanoid androids. These androids have taken refuge on Earth after escaping an outer space colony.
With a futuristic backdrop, the film operates on various narrative levels, including conventions of film noir, and themes exploring the morality of humanity. It strays away from a lot of themes that make Black Panther what it is, but the futuristic setting as well as heroes up against pioneering technology, it parallels in these regards.