Black Panther: Wakanda Forever arrives in American theaters on November 11 via Marvel Studios/Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. The highly-anticipated sequel to 2018’s Black Panther will be the latest entry to Phase Four of the Marvel Cinematic Universe films.
Proximity Media collaborated with Marvel Studios and Marvel Entertainment to present Wakanda Forever: The Offical Black Panther Podcast. Award-winning writer Ta-Nehisi Coates serves as host and writer for the six-episode series.
Ta-Nehisi Coates has previous connections to Wakanda. Back in 2016, he penned the Black Panther comic book. That same year Coates also provided commentary for Marvel’s “A Nation Under Our Feet” Black Panther vignettes.
Proximity Media’s Head of Audio Paola Mardo will produce Wakanda Forever: The Offical Black Panther Podcast. Proximity’s founders Ryan Coogler, Zinzi Coogler, and Sev Ohanian are credited as executive producers.
“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,” stated Paola Mardo.
He continued, “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.”
Ta-Nehisi Coates Will Speak With Director Ryan Coogler For The Podcast
Ryan Coogler directed the original Black Panther movie as well as the upcoming Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Debuting on November 3, the first episode of the Wakanda Forever podcast features a conversation between Coates and Coogler.
“There is no storyteller I admire more than Ryan Coogler,” said Coates. “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.”
Additional episodes will be available beginning in January 2023. Other scheduled guests include Wakanda Forever cast members Angela Bassett and Dominique Thorne. Plus, Ta-Nehisi Coates will speak with composer Ludwig Göransson, co-writer Joe Robert Cole, producers Kevin Feige and Nate Moore, and others.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever stars Letitia Wright, Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira, Winston Duke, Florence Kasumba, Michaela Coel, Tenoch Huerta, Martin Freeman, Dominique Thorne, and Angela Bassett.
Oscar, Grammy, and Emmy winner Ludwig Göransson released the Wakanda Forever Prologue EP featuring Nigerian artist Tems over the summer. Tems also co-wrote Rihanna’s “Life Me Up” which will live on the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever soundtrack.
“Life Me Up” is a tribute to Chadwick Boseman, the late actor who played Black Panther in the MCU before his death in 2020. Tems worked with Rihanna, Ludwig Göransson, and Ryan Coogler to write the Göransson-produced song.