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This Is Why “Black Panther” is Getting Screwed by Awards Mania
When Black Panther finally made its long-awaited debut almost a year ago, the hype machine had been in overdrive the moment the ambitious project was formerly announced. It was impossible to escape the high-tempo climate that benefited from the affiliation with the illustrious Marvel universe, and the ultimate homage to what diversity can produce — when you go all the way.
The titans of an industry that’s still grappling to adhere to the standards of inclusion, were all fixated on the predicted returns for a superhero flick, with a Black superhero, leading an all-Black cast, under the tutelage of a Black director, Ryan Coogler; who recently opened up about the privilege of employing “a large number of female department heads,’ notably veteran costume designer, Ruth E. Carter.
There was hardly any doubt that the fictional world of Wakanda, and its legion of all-stars — Chadwick Boseman, Angela Bassett, Lupita, Nyong’o, Letitia Wright, Danai Gurira, Forest Whitaker and Michael B. Jordan — would more than surpass expectations.
The build-up of excitement centered around the notion that Hollywood was finally flexing those stiff muscles in an effort to capitalize on the trend of the moment, or the year, or the decade — or whatever.
