Black Panther: Wakanda Forever! (2022), directed by Ryan Coogler

Wakanda is in mourning following the death of its King, T’Challa, and its future is in limbo. With the heart herb destroyed there is no way to anoint a new Black Panther and the nation is under siege for its Vibranium. Suddenly a new threat emerges, with another source of the precious resource discovered. The undersea God-Kingdom of Talocan wants Wakanda as an ally against the surface world to protect their mutual interests. Princess Shuri must choose between revenge and redemption to determine Wakanda’s future path. This is very much a female-led film, which makes for more interesting action sequences. It contains a moving tribute to the late Chadwick Boseman that fits perfectly within the story. Letitia Wright, Lupita Nyong’o and Angela Bassett are solid performers and there are fun cameos from the likes of Michaela Cole and Julia Louis-Dreyfus. As ever with Marvel films it is too long, with some story inconsistencies skated over by the action. But it is entertaining, with unexpected depths it its exploration of grief on both an individual and national level.