Welcome to the Weekly Movie Thread, your place on the Avocado to discuss films with your fellow commenters. Want to make a recommendation? Looking for recommendations? Want to share your opinions of movies, both new and classic? 

This week sees the release of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Director Ryan Coogler can’t have had an easy task.

The first film was such a phenomenon. While Marvel films, especially in those pre-Infinity War days, were expected to do good, Black Panther shocked everyone by greatly exceeding expectations. It defied the conventional expectations about a movie with African-American actors with an African-American director. It is currently the 14th highest grossing film of all time. (And in the Marvel movie ranks, it’s only outgrossed by the four Avengers movies and Spider-Man: No Way Home). It was nominated for Best Picture, something that you don’t do for a superhero film.

Say what you will about the quality (and that final fight scene, in my opinion, is atrocious), Black Panther is far more important for opening doors for everyone. The Avengers line-up from 2012 is… pretty dang white. But now you can score a hit with an Asian-American lead. Diversity isn’t a liability… it’s an asset.

And now the show must go on without its biggest star. It’s actually quite fortunate the first film was such an ensemble piece. It is possible to do a film where the story can go on without its main star. Time will tell is Coogler delivers, but given his track record the franchise is in good hands.

Bonus prompt: what is the most respectful way a movie has dealt with a real life tragedy?