Black Panther: Wakanda Forever may be taking its name literally. New cinema listings have the Marvel Phase 4 sequel clocking in as the second longest MCU movie to date.
Multiple theaters, including Cineplex and Regal Cinemas, have listed the Wakanda Forever runtime at 161 minutes (2 hours and 41 minutes). If accurate, that means only Avengers: Endgame can top it in the runtime stakes at a whopping 181 minutes. The original Black Panther movie, by comparison, was 134 minutes long.
While it's worth pointing out that a movie's length is no indicator of quality – or lack thereof – it's certainly notable that Black Panther: Wakanda Forever would inch closer to the three-hour mark than any non-Avengers MCU movie before it.
The sequel, again directed by Ryan Coogler, has to juggle the death of T'Challa (the actor Chadwick Boseman passed away in 2020), the introduction of Namor (Tenoch Huerta), the inclusion of RiRi Williams (Dominique Thorne), and a Wakanda that's found itself increasingly isolated after the loss of its figurehead.
The first (and so far only) Black Panther: Wakanda Forever trailer was released at SDCC. Behind-closed-doors footage was also unveiled at Disney’s D23 expo. Here's a taster of what happened in the brief clip.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, which stars Letitia Wright, Lupita Nyong'o, Danai Gurira, Angela Bassett, and Winston Duke, is set for release on November 11 and officially marks the end of Marvel Phase 4. For more on what comes after in the MCU, check out our complete guide to upcoming Marvel movies and shows.
