Ryan Coogler Thanks Fans For The Response To Black Panther: Wakanda Forever In A Heartfelt Note

The Marvel Cinematic Universe expanded quite a lot throughout 2022, both on television and at the movies. Granted, not all of these new additions to the franchise were met with warm receptions, but by and large, many would agree it was a good year to be an MCU fan. To close out the year's offerings in grand fashion, Marvel Studios and director Ryan Coogler offered moviegoers everywhere "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever": a sequel to 2018's "Black Panther" that packs action, drama, and no shortage of tear-jerking moments into its roughly three-hour runtime.

Following the death of the Black Panther himself, King T'Challa (the late, great Chadwick Boseman), Wakanda is in a rough spot. As they mourn the loss of their leader and struggle to find a stand-in, outside forces ranging from the United States government to the underwater kingdom of Talokan — led by Namor (Tenoch Huerta Mejía) — seek to use the uncertainty for their own gain. The vast majority of general audiences and critics seem to hold the film in high regard, and despite only being in theaters for a few weeks at the time of this writing, it's thriving in the financial department as well.

Suffice to say, fans have come out in droves to support "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever," and Ryan Coogler couldn't appreciate it more. Here's what he said in a heartfelt note thanking fans for their unwavering support.

On November 23, 2022, the official Instagram account of Marvel Entertainment posted an image of a note from Ryan Coogler to fans. The brief letter expresses sincere gratitude to all who have come out to support "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" in any form. From those who simply brought their families to the movies to the ones who went out of their way to buy out entire theaters for their community, everyone's commitment to the film and all that comes with it means a lot to Coogler. He also addresses the runtime, thanking moviegoers for trying their best to avoid running to the bathroom part of the way through.

Then, of course, Coogler touched on the fact that "Wakanda Forever" is a tribute to Chadwick Boseman, who died on August 28, 2020, due to cancer. "We made something to honor our friend, who was a giant in our industry, and we also made something to be enjoyed in a theatrical setting with friends, family, and strangers," he said, encouraging fans to discuss and even debate the feature. He notes "Wakanda Forever" was made to make people "physically and emotionally feel seen" and that, at the end of the day, without audiences, cinema would simply cease to exist. Coogler then closes his letter by promising future stories.

"Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" is now playing in theaters everywhere.