Los Angeles

Oakland Native Who Directed ‘Black Panther' Earns Praise

Film director and Oakland native Ryan Coogler is earning stellar reviews for his work in the much-anticipated film "Black Panther," with some critics going as far as to say the superhero film will "save blockbusters." 

The action flick won’t be released to a wide audience until Feb. 16, but reviews have already started pouring in from film critics, who have showered it with near-universal praise following Monday night’s star-studded premiere. 

"#BlackPanther is a love letter about blackness, to a world that often ghettoizes it without realizing that it is on black backs that this planet revolves," tweeted Los Angeles culture writer Tre’vell Anderson.

"WOW. Black Panther will change the landscape of superhero movies forever. Expect and demand more from Hollywood. The stories its denied us for so long don’t just *deserve* to be told — they will save blockbusters from total irrelevance and creative bankruptcy," tweeted Mashable entertainment writer Jess Joho. 

Ticket forecasts predict the movie will also be a hit at the box office; advanced sales on Fandago have already far exceeded that of other Marvel films. 

"Black Panther" marks a turning point for Marvel. it’s the first time the lead character in one of its franchises will be played by an African-American man. Actor Chadwick Boseman, who previously had a supporting role in "Captain America: Civil War," stars as the eponymous superhero. Supporting cast members include Lupita Nyong’o, Daniel Kaluuya, Michael B. Jordan, Danai Gurira and Angela Bassett.

Set in the fictional Afro-futurist nation Wakanda, "Black Panther" spins around titular hero T’Challa as he works to prevent a world war.

Coogler spoke about the importance of the film, which has spent 25 years in move-making limbo. In early 1992, Wesley Snipes tried to launch the film, according to reports. Failed attempts following in the years to come.

"When I first discovered comic books and superheroes, I remember falling in love with X-Men the first time I saw Bishop. I was like, 'Holy smokes, there’s a black X-Man?'" says Coogler, who also directed Oakland-centric "Fruitvale," told Entertainment Weekly. "Then I found out Stan Lee talked about how Malcolm X and Martin Luther King were some of his inspirations for Magneto and Professor X. So I was like, 'Jeez, my culture is influencing this!' But I always did long for that one [black] superhero who the whole book was around."

In addition to Coogler, a slew of other Oakland and Bay Area natives have been making waves in tinsel town. Boots Riley’s film "Sorry to Bother You" won accolades at Sundance Film Festival, while Bay Area native Salim Akil has found success working behind the scenes on the CW show "Black Lightning."

Stand-up comedian W. Kamau Bell, who also has Bay Area roots, tweeted about the representation of Oakland talent in Hollywood.

Contact Us