Black Panther Wakanda Forever: Ryan Coogler Cites Terminator 2 as Inspiration

With his MCU debut, filmmaker Ryan Coogler co-wrote and directed the first-ever onscreen depiction of Wakanda and its many people in 2018’s Black Panther. Tasked with introducing fans to characters like King T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman) and his antagonist in the film Erik Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan), Coogler breathed new life into each of them by giving these comic characters new aspirations and ambitions. Namely, the writer-director crafted an unforgettable antagonist in the driven-to-a-fault Killmonger, managing to avoid writing a villain that felt flat. In Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, the nation once again faces a formidable threat in Namor the Sub-Mariner (Tenoch Huerta), who seeks to challenge their rule. In his interview with Collider, Coogler breaks down why ’formidable’ doesn’t necessarily equate to a villain, citing Terminator 2: Judgement Day as inspiration for his formula. While sitting down to discuss the new sequel, Collider’s Editor-in-Chief Steve Weintraub co