Black Panther: Wakanda Forever may skip a theatrical release in France.
As reported by Le Film Francais, the Black Panther sequel may not receive a cinematic launch in France reportedly due to a law that requires restricting how long a movie must stay in cinemas before releasing on a streaming platform. This regulation requires films to remain in theaters for at least 17 months before making the jump to an online subscription service.
The report elaborated further on why the French law exists in the first place, serving as an effort to curb shorter theatrical release windows and direct-to-streaming debuts, which audiences have grown more comfortable with in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. For context, none of the Phase 4 films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) have made it onto Disney+ in France, due to the aforementioned French law.
Is Wakanda Forever in France?
In response, Disney released a statement claiming the studio had yet to make a decision on the release of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever but that the media timeline is also forcing it to "evaluate our theatrical releases film by film." With the November premiere looming, the studio is expected to make a decision on the matter within the next two weeks. The decision to forgo Wakanda Forever's cinematic release in France isn't without precedent. In June, the studio announced that the soon-to-be-released animated film Strange World would not premiere in French theaters, but would instead go directly to the country's Disney+ streaming service.
Whether or not Black Panther: Wakanda Forever does release in French theaters, MCU fans are waiting on the sequel with bated breath. Following the 2020 passing of Chadwick Boseman, who played T'challa across several Marvel movies, many enthusiasts are speculating who will be adopting the mantle. Some suspect that Shuri (Letitia Wright) will carry on her brother's legacy while others believe Nakia (Lupita Nyong'o) will be the one to don the iconic Black Panther suit. Both actors have played coy on who will be equipping the claws, instead suggesting that inquisitive fans remain patient and book their tickets for the movie.
While Black Panther: Wakanda Forever may not find its way into French theaters, the film is set for release in United States theaters on Nov. 11. Black Panther is now streaming on Disney+.
Source: Le Film Francis, via The Direct