Lupita Nyong’o Says Marvel Media Training Is Really Just ‘a Lot of Emails’
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is one of the year’s most highly-anticipated films. The film was in flux as Marvel Studios grappled with the unexpected death of franchise star Chadwick Boseman. However, after a lot of emotional upheaval and a good bit of planning, the film debuted on November 11, 2022. The cast of the film has done the talk show circuit leading up to its release. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever star Lupita Nyong’o, alluded to the strict secrecy that surrounds Marvel projects — including emails.
What did Lupita Nyong’o say about getting ‘a lot of emails’ from Marvel?
There’s a lot of secrecy surrounding the plot of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. When the stars of the film go out to promote it, they are under strict guidelines as to what they can and cannot reveal. In a recent interview with Jimmy Kimmel, Lupita Nyong’o, who plays Nakia, revealed that she and the other stars of the film have been through extensive Marvel “media training.”
Nyong’o explained to Kimmel that the stars receive “lots of emails” listing all the things they cannot talk about publicly. “And they send it to you many times, so it’s stressful to have your inbox full of these emails,” Nyong’o joked. Then, they saw it in action. Kimmel went on to prod Nyongo’s co-star, Letitia Wright, about whether or not she’s the new Black Panther. But the actors remained resolute, refusing to dish out any secrets.
The stars of the Marvel Cinematic Universe are expected to keep a lot of secrets
The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a film franchise that is built on secrets. The films drop huge bombshells on viewers. Therefore, the stars are tasked with the responsibility of keeping those secrets prior to the debut of their respective projects. Most Marvel stars seem to have no problem keeping secrets. But over the years, a few particular actors have struggled with that task.
Tom Holland is the most notorious example. Holland, who plays Peter Parker/Spider-Man in the MCU, has become notorious for his tendency to blurt out spoilers during interviews. The actor let one big spoiler fly during the press tour for Spider-Man: Homecoming, when he accidentally revealed that there were multiple Spider-Man films coming when Marvel Studios itself hadn’t yet confirmed that. So Marvel Studios, wise to Holland’s tendency to spoil plotlines, started pairing Holland with his more composed co-star, Benedict Cumberbatch, in an attempt to keep Holland from letting secrets fly.
What do fans know about ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’?
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever was confirmed years ago. But after the death of Chadwick Boseman in 2020, fans were unsure how the franchise would proceed. Leading up to the release, most still aren’t clear on what exactly happens in the film, or who will assume the mantle of the Black Panther after the tragic death of King T’Challa. According to IMDb, the film details how the people of Wakanda struggle with their grief all while grappling with a new threat from the undersea nation of Talokan.
Most of the original cast will be returning to their roles, including Wright, Nyong’o, Danai Gurira, and Angela Bassett. New cast members also joined the film, including Tenoch Huerta as Namor, the ruler of Talokan. Now, fans can uncover the secrets of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, with the film currently playing in theaters.
