The latest release in the Marvel Cinematic Universe has been surrounded by buzz and excitement for months — and rightfully so. Unlike other Marvel movies, “Black Panther” brought in new audiences and purposely broke the mold of a typical superhero movie.
For the first time, a young black man was the focus of a major full-length superhero film, but it wasn’t just that — this story also featured powerful female figures, and the film creators were purposeful in hiring a black director and writers and a majority black cast and crew. The story of Black Panther was much bigger and more significant than just a strong dude in a sweet cat costume jumping out of spaceships and onto moving cars. It’s a statement that anyone of any color can be a hero — not just good-looking white guys named Chris (I’m looking at you, Evans, Hemsworth, Pratt and Pine).
I think it’s wonderful the film is performing so well at the box office and getting Certified Fresh reviews from critics. Beyond all that, though, I want to take a look at a different aspect of the film that I think is significant for us as believers to consider.
Matt Ehresman 