‘Black Panther’ Returns to Theaters, Cast Teases Sequel

Following last night’s SAG AFTRA Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture award win, Marvel Studios Black Panther will be returning to theaters next month.

This choice makes sense- on the heels of the landmark (and history-making) Best Picture nomination for the film, as well as February being Black History Month.

Oscar Best-Picture Nominee #BlackPanther returns to the big screen beginning February 1st.

Fans of all ages can see the movie for free in honor of Black History Month at participating @AMCTheatres. Visit https://t.co/x8YctqnXPt for more info. pic.twitter.com/NtxHaZoHLS

— Marvel Studios (@MarvelStudios) January 28, 2019

That brings us to star Chadwick Boseman‘s acceptance speech last night on behalf of the cast. Deeply moving and poignant, Boseman ended it with a mention of Black Panther 2:

Well I’ll be. I didn’t think I was gonna have to speak.

This cast, this ensemble. When I think of going to work every day and the passion and the intelligence, the resolve, the discipline that everybody showed, I also think of two questions that we all have received during the course of multiple publicity runs.

And one is, “Did we know that this movie was going to receive this kind of response?” Meaning, was it going to make a billion dollars, was it going to still be around during award season? And the second question is, “Has it changed the industry?” Has it actually changed the way this industry works, how it sees us?

And my answer is to be young, gifted and black — (loud applause) Because all of us up here, and Andy [Serkis], we include you, too. (laughter) To be young, gifted and black, we all know what it’s like to be told that there is not a place for you to be featured, yet you are young, gifted and black.

We know what it’s like to be told there’s not a screen for you to be featured on, a stage for you to be featured on. We know what it’s like to be the tail and not the head. We know what it’s like to be beneath and not above. And that is what we went to work with every day because we knew  — not that we would be around during award season or that it would make a billion dollars, but we knew we had something special that we wanted to give the world. That we could be full human beings in the roles that we were playing, that we could create a world that exemplified a world that we wanted to see.

We knew that we had something that we wanted to give. And to come to work with every day and to solve problems with this group of people every day, with this director, that is something that I wish all actors would get the opportunity to experience. If you get to experience that, you will be a fulfilled artist.

Now, the question of, you know, will we be around? . . . The question of will we be around during award season, I just have to say, it’s a pleasure to be celebrated by you, to be loved by you. And one thing I do know: Did it change the industry? I know that you can’t have a “Black Panther” now without a “2″ on it. So, we love you. And we celebrate it.

There was also more talk backstage when Entertainment Tonight started asking about who’d return for a sequel, and Angela Bassett‘s husband Courtney B. Vance kinda pushed a narrative that “everyone” will return.

“Yes, just go ahead and say it, yes. Everyone will be there. Just yes, yes,” Vance commented. He interjected also, on top of Bassett’s admission that we did NOT see Erik Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan)’s body go into the ocean, “including Michael B.”

Okay, so, how about having Vance come into the sequel? Maybe as a suitor for the Queen Mother?

“Yeah, he could come into Wakanda!” Bassett commented about the possibility.

Black Panther will return to theaters beginning February 1st, and you can learn more about the free ticket program through AMC Theaters here.