'Black Panther: Wakanda Forever' is One of the Longest Marvel Movies Yet

It's been a long time in the Marvel multiverse since the nation of Wakanda made an appearance—but it may seem like an even longer time in the theater for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Clocking in at two hours and 41 minutes, the highly-anticipated Black Panther sequel is the second-longest Marvel film to date, right behind Avengers: Endgame, which ran three hours and two minutes. Wakanda Forever is also be one of the longest films of the year, surpassing Elvis and Blonde, which both exceeded two-and-a-half hours. More like Black Panther: Watching Forever. Not that we're complaining.

The length likely had much to do with how much plot is jam-packed into this film. The sequel tackles the death of Chadwick Boseman's Black Panther—a loss that will have ripple effects throughout the MCU—following the actor's death in 2020. Wakanda Forever also explores the world of Atlantis and its ruler, Namor the Sub-Mariner (Tenoch Huerta), as well as the passing of the Black Panther mantle. RiRi Williams (Dominque Thorne) makes her first appearance as Ironheart, an MIT student who creates a super suit powerful enough to rival Tony Stark's. Following Wakanda Forever, RiRi will get her own Disney+ series, Ironheart, set to debut sometime in late 2023.

If anything, the runtime should prove that Marvel did not want to rush its tribute to Boseman's legacy, or underscore the many characters from Black Panther that made the original film such a success. Esquire's review praised the film and its handling of Black Panther's passing, as well as Huerta's performance as Namor. For now, maybe just pass on the large soda when you see Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.

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