Planes, trains and automobiles brought Wakanda lovers together across the globe for the opening weekend of Wakanda Forever. The film is the sequel to the original Wakanda iconic film, Black Panther where the late acclaimed actor Chadwick Boseman led the cast of characters.

Groups around the First Coast and beyond bought out theaters to ensure the movie had a stellar opening showing. The movie earned $180 million in the domestic box office and $150 million overseas.

In tribute to Boseman, many theaters goers wore white. Like it or love it, comparison to Black Panther, the landmark original film are inevitable. Perhaps the most emotional element of the sequel is how it honors Boseman. He played T’Challa in the original movie and passed away in 2020 at age 43 from an aggressive form of colon cancer.

‘We chose white for our premier to honor how much his character meant to us,” said Eugene Ford who hosted a Black Films matter premier in San Marco.  The Black artistic think tank also honored a veteran on the occasion to celebrate her transition from the navy.

‘I enjoyed it,” said sequel lover Shirley Saulsby. “Its an opportunity for everyone to say goodbye to him together as the franchise moves forward with his legacy at the heart of it,” she continued.

Sororities, fraternities and other organizations joined the frenzy as well.

The Delta Sigma Theta Alumna Chapter chose to make it a party with a purpose. headquartered at Southsides’s Tinseltown Theatre, their movie night was directly aligned with that of the chapters national Arts and letters Commission as they strive to promote a positive image of African American and other minorities in the community through the medium of music, dance, drama and poetry. (Mal Jones Photos)

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is one of several movies featured as Delta Red Carpet events during the Fall of 2022.