Ryan Coogler opens up about crafting "tricky" conflict in 'Black Panther'

Last month, the highly anticipated Black Panther: Wakanda Forever film officially hit theaters. The release was an undeniable success, raking in over $300 million at the U.S. box office and topping $570 million worldwide during its debut week.

Leading the franchise for the second time was Ryan Coogler, who also directed and co-wrote 2018’s Black Panther. Today (Dec. 15), in an new feature by Variety, he sat down with fellow director Gina Prince-Bythewood, where they tackled various topics regarding impact and vision. The 36-year-old filmmaker opened up during the conversation about how crafting scenes of conflict was tricky for him, but he knew it had to be done in such a way that depicted a more important message.

“When you look at it on a human level, you know, it’s not just about the politicians and x, y, and z. It’s about the human beings that are next to each other,” Coogler said. “For us it was like, how can we tell a story that’s about us colored people who have been affected by this thing? Who have been denied imagery and have been denied the opportunity to tell our stories? It’s going to be tricky showing us in conflict with each other, but how can we do it in a was where you’re not rooting for anybody? You’re actually rooting for it to stop.”

Elsewhere in the interview, he also delved into what it was like to film after the passing of Chadwick Boseman. “In Wakanda Forever, there’s this idea of being a man who has a lot of people counting on you, and then what happens if you’re taken away from those people?” he asked Prince-Bythewood. “How do they pick up the pieces? That was a big thing, and we were living it with Chadwick Boseman passing away. We were trying to figure out what it meant, the best way forward, and, at the same time, still in a lot of pain.”

As previously reported by REVOLT, Coogler showed his dedication by taking diving lessons ahead of filming the blockbuster’s sequel, so he could direct underwater scenes. More recently, he also penned an open letter expressing how grateful he is for the love the franchise has received thus far.