What do you really know about Wakanda? Wakanda is a fantasy. Wakanda is a utopia. A technological and peaceful paradise hidden in Africa. Where in Africa? Hard to say. If per Marvel comics, it was long thought to be in the South Africa area. In its first mention in cinema, in Captain America: Civil War, it was placed north of Lake Turkana, a fictional border between Uganda, Kenya, South Sudan and Uganda. That is, the eastern center of the continent.
The great excuse for not knowing where Wakanda is is that Wakanda has always remained locked behind natural walls that were "there since its inception." “It is the best kept secret in the world”, as they admit in the first film that brings to life the nation that c Jack Kirby and Stan Lee were created in their comics in 1966.
A nation ruled and protected by a monarch with superpowers, Black Panther, who achieves thanks to the most impressive material, vibranium, with which they can heal mortal wounds to manufacture weapons and develop technologies that not even Q from James Bond would miss. head.
The Warrior Falls are inspired by the Origi Gorge (South Africa).
In the Marvel worlds, "Wakanda is the poorest nation in the world." That's what they believe. Because they do not see the reality behind their stone walls. Wakanda is a world with a magical mountain in which is this vibranium that gives power to their king and allows them to build and create anything they want. They are, therefore, a technologically, economically and politically advanced country. Although they live isolated.
They are also socially advanced. His best warriors are women: The Dora Milaje are the security force for Black Panther King T'Challa (Chadwick Boseman). His general, Okoye (Danai Gurira), the best warrior after Black Panther himself who receives her strength from the Heart-shaped Herb.
They live peacefully in a world that integrates impressive nature with cutting-edge technology. To create it, the production designers unleashed their imaginations, but also traveled to Africa. In the colors and textures you can see the influence.
King T'Challa, or Black Panther, speaking about Wakanda before the UN.
Although they didn't shoot in Africa, but instead built all the sets at Pinewood Studios in Atlanta, they also looked at specific locations. For example, the Warrior Falls (Warrior Falls) , where the coronation ceremony takes place, was a set of 36 x 23 meters, a height of 11m and a pool of 1.82m above ground level that took four months to build and for which they were inspired and sculpted like the cannon Oribi Gorge in South Africa.
In this exclusive video for TRAVELER, explain what Wakanda really is:
And, in addition to Wakanda, in Black Panther (premiere February 16) they do move in a real city and location: busan, in South Korea, where they shot a spectacular car chase through the Haeudae district and Gwangalli beach.
The shooting in Busan was intense.