Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Extended Cut On The Way?
After earning a massive $181 million during its opening weekend, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (read our review here) has held the number one spot at the box office since debuting last month. So far, the sequel has raked in $393.7 million domestically and $339.3 million internationally, for a global haul of $733 million. Not only is it one of the highest-grossing films of 2022, but it’s also one of the longest, and according to The Direct, a new tease suggests an even lengthier version of the movie may be on the way.
As it stands, only three MCU pictures have been re-released with additional footage. Out of the thirty titles made under the Marvel Studios banner, Spider-Man: Far From Home, No Way Home, and Avengers: Endgame are the only features to return to theaters with never-before-seen sequences. Thanks to a tease posted on social media by a Black Panther: Wakanda Forever actress, however, an extended cut could very well exist for the Ryan Coogler-directed sequel.
Aba Arthur, who portrayed a naval engineer in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, recently took to Instagram to share an image of herself with several other members of the film’s cast and crew. The photo showcases several smaller stars from the movie decked out in Wakandan attire. In her caption she said, “Catch our stunt work when the extended cut of the film is released.”
Although it’s certainly possible an extended edition of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever exists, it’s more likely Arthur was merely having some fun. The actress is relatively new to the industry, with the Marvel sequel marking her biggest project to date. Considering she’s the only star to make a peep about an extended version of the sequel, it’s probably safe to say she was just being playful with her followers.
In fact, while speaking with Collider, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever producer, Nate Moore, indicated that it was highly unlikely the sequel would receive an extended cut. He mentioned that Marvel has usually been opposed to assembling longer versions of their movies as they feel the studio and the filmmakers have already decided how their films will be presented. Of course, he isn’t opposed to treating viewers to never-before-seen footage, as he stated, “I think there’s ways to get those scenes out there in the world without building an extended edition.”
Whether Marvel decides to release a version of the sequel featuring additional footage remains up in the air, but for now, the studio is celebrating the fact that it has yet another box office smash on its hands. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever continues to dominate the charts, claiming the number-one spot for four consecutive weeks. Domestically, it looks to pass Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness ($411 million) by the end of the week.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever was released on November 11, 2022, and it is currently certified fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, with a score of 84% from 388 reviews by critics. Directed by Ryan Coogler from a script he co-wrote with Joe Robert Cole, the sequel stars Letitia Wright, Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira, Winston Duke, Angela Bassett, Tenoch Huerta, and Martin Freeman. It’s the third MCU picture to be released this year after Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and Thor: Love and Thunder.
