Marvel originally debuted the tribute logo on Boseman’s birthday in 2020 and later added it to Black Panther on Disney+. In Wakanda Forever, which premiered today, the logo makes its full debut, playing before the movie begins. Long live the king. #WakandaForever pic.twitter.com/uW1KisOkTq — Marvel Entertainment (@Marvel) November 29, 2020 Without the usual triumphant fanfare that greets most MCU films, the logo acts as a sort of moment of silence for Boseman. It sets the mood for an introspective blockbuster that doubles as a feature-length tribute to the late actor. It seems to have had the desired effect. Fans have pointed out that the logo’s appearance in Wakanda Forever has led to “surprised silence” in theaters: That’s exactly how my viewing of Wakanda Forever went. The stunned silence during the Marvel logo was unlike any theater experience I’ve had. https://t.co/ePXzDNTYkI — Brandon Palma (@palmabrandon) November 11, 2022 “You could hear a pin drop in my view while it was playing,” said IGN writer Alex Stedman. “Really nice moment of silence for him.” My entire theater was completely silent during the Marvel Studios logo opening of #BlackPanther Wakanda Forever. So strong! pic.twitter.com/7zZrlrzp5m — BLURAYANGEL 🦇 (@blurayangel) November 11, 2022 One moviegoer felt the logo was enough to bring tears to his eyes. WAKANDA FOREVER: never cried at the Marvel Studios logo. — devincf (@devincf) November 11, Boseman died at the age of 43 after a four-year battle with colon cancer. While he was best known for his role in Black Panther, which became the first superhero film to earn a Best Picture nomination, he also took on many other leading roles, including Jackie Robinson in 42 and Thurgood Marshall in Marshall. We gave Wakanda Forever a seven in our review, praising the tributes to its fallen king and the performances from the returning cast members. “Director/co-writer Ryan Coogler’s efforts are at their best when Wakanda Forever deals with the loss of T’Challa – Chadwick Boseman. The specifics of Wakanda Forever’s long-winded plot will likely leave little impact, but this has ‘Don’t stop the new Black Panther from rising to his feet,” wrote critic Tom Jorgensen. If you’ve already seen Wakanda Forever, check out our Ending Explained video as well as how Namor’s past shapes the X-Men’s future. Amelia Zollner is a freelance writer at IGN who loves all things indie and Nintendo. Outside of IGN, they’ve contributed to sites like Polygon and Rock Paper Shotgun. Find them on Twitter: @ameliazolner.
