‘Black Panther’: John Kani Helped Decide The Language Of Wakanda

Black Panther will introduce audiences to the technologically advanced nation of Wakanda and Marvel Studios adopted isiXhosa as the official language of the fictional country. In an interview with MTV News, actor John Kani revealed how he helped the filmmakers decide on the official language for the hidden nation.

Kani – who portrays King T’Chaka – explained how he helped director Ryan Coogler decide on the language for Wakanda during a scene in which T’Chaka is reunited with his son:

“The director and I were challenged with coming up with ideal thing to say to my son, played by my son in real life, Atandwa, in-line with the plot of the film. It had to be in the native language of ‘Wakanda’. I chose to say something isiXhosa in which the director and everyone on set loved; we need that, the director said.”

Are you excited to explore the nation of Wakanda? Share your thoughts below!

“Black Panther” follows T’Challa who, after the events of “Captain America: Civil War,” returns home to the isolated, technologically advanced African nation of Wakanda to take his place as King. However, when an old enemy reappears on the radar, T’Challa’s mettle as King and Black Panther is tested when he is drawn into a conflict that puts the entire fate of Wakanda and the world at risk.

Directed by Ryan Coogler, the film stars Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira, Martin Freeman, Daniel Kaluuya, Angela Bassett, Letitia Wright, Winston Duke,  Florence Kasumba, Sterling K. Brown, Andy Serkis and John Kan.

Black Panther will be released in theaters on February 16, 2018.

Source: MTV News