Despite what the trailers have suggested,
Avengers: Infinity War is not to be considered a sequel - or half sequel - to
Black Panther, according to star Chadwick Boseman.
Speaking at a press conference for
Infinity War (via
Adam Vary), Boseman, who plays T'Challa in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, was quick to remind fans that even though
Infinity War's third act is set in the fictional African nation of Wakanda, the blockbuster movie should be considered
"it's own thing," separate from the
Black Panther standalone films.
“Avengers: Infinity War is Avengers: Infinity War. It’s not Black Panther 1.5 or Black Panther 2. I feel like we have a strong presence in the movie… But it’s its own thing.”
With the favorable response to Black Panther, and its box office success, it's easy to understand why Marvel would focus heavily on the Wakandan section of the film for Infinity War's marketing. But seeing as how this is a movie that brings together 10 years' worth of Marvel films, it's reassuring to hear that Infinity War will retain a strong sense of balance.
Still, it's clear Wakanda will play a major role in the movie, and it'll be interesting to see how it the fictional African nation will be affected by Thanos's attack. If Infinity War's outcome even remotely resembles the comics, it's not going to be pretty.
We'll find out soon enough because Avengers: Infinity War hits theaters this week on April 27!