By Monique
There’s literally SO MUCH STUFF that’s always coming out each week about Black Panther. To be honest, I’ve made a ton of these “This Week in Wakanda” graphics for news I want to get to, but all of my ideas keep getting pushed back because there’s constantly new stuff to talk about! Yes, I’m complaining about a good problem to have when making an on-going series. But I’m a human with first world problems; what else am I going to complain about? Anyways, let’s get onto the accolades the Black Panther cast and crew are getting.
Chadwick Boseman to speak at Howard University’s commencement: Boseman is coming back to his alma mater Howard University May 12 to give new graduates a commencement speech they’re sure to never forget. According to OkayPlayer, he will also receive the school’s highest honor, the honorary Doctor of Humane Letters.
In a statement, Howard University President Wayne Frederick said how Boseman’s turn as T’Challa exemplifies the power and majesty of the diaspora. “His recent role in the blockbuster film ‘Black Panther’ reminds us of the excellence found in the African diaspora and how places like Howard are hidden, untapped gems producing the next generation of scientists, engineers and doctors,” he said. “Mr. Boseman exemplifies the monumental heights and levels Howard graduates can achieve by using the skills and knowledge they acquired at the university.”
Ryan Coogler to receive CinemaCon’s Director of the Year Award: This article is actually one of my first ones for Shadow and Act, so hooray for that! The jist of the article is that Coogler will be named Director of the Year thanks to the financial and social impact Black Panther had for movie theaters and its patrons.
“In just a few short years, Ryan Coogler has positioned himself as one of the most dynamic, talented and successful directors of our time,” said the convention’s managing director Mitch Neuhauser. “With the release of Black Panther, he has given us a film that is not just a box office juggernaut in grossing more than $1.3 billion globally, but a film that has crossed all cultures and ethnicities and has resonated beyond anyone’s wildest imagination from a societal standpoint. His is a landmark film and we couldn’t be more delighted to be honoring him as our Director of the Year.”
Black Panther ends Saudi Arabia’s movie drought: In another Shadow and Act article by me, I compile reports from outlets like the Guardian, The New York Times and Reuters detailing the gala event/screening of Black Panther in Saudi Arabia’s first AMC Theater, thereby ending the kingdom’s 35-year ban on movie screenings. Everyone seems like they had a good time, and as one event-goer said to The New York Times, “They [Saudi Arabia] should have done this long ago.”
I’m sure we’ll see more accolades for the cast and crew of Black Panther before the year is out.
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Julian 