Excerpt from the Dayton Daily News
Production designer Hannah Beachler, a Centerville High School and Wright State University graduate, is very fond of her Oscar-winning contributions to the 2018 blockbuster “Black Panther” but is equally proud of the creativity and teamwork behind the film’s highly anticipated sequel “Wakanda Forever.”
To be released Nov. 11 and directed/co-written by Ryan Coogler, “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” reportedly finds the kingdom of Wakanda fighting to protect their nation from invaders following the death of King T’Challa. Meanwhile, a new threat arises from the hidden nation of Talokan, which borrows from the Atlantis mythology of a society driven into the water.
“Look forward to a new world that’s been built,” said Beachler, 52. “I took two years to build this underwater world. Talokan comes from a real culture, an inspiration of those who have lost something in a very tragic way but have found triumph. They are a lot like Wakanda in that they have found a way to survive. It was very important that I got this new civilization right in the same way I approached Wakanda. I had to do as big of a deep dive as Wakanda because Talokan is specifically inspired by Mesoamerican and Mayan culture. I think it’s going to be something really incredible and epic for people to see.”
Beachler is also eager for audiences to see new aircrafts, vehicles and spaces within the world of Wakanda which haven’t been seen before, allowing the story to reach refreshing conceptual heights. However, she admits the 22-month process from pre-production to filming, which occurred in such locales as Atlanta and Puerto Rico, was not without its share of hurdles due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“It was really hard and we had all just come off of being quarantined in 2020,” she recalled. “It was challenging in every aspect you can possibly think of but in no different way that time period, and still to this day, is challenging for anyone else. We just had a giant movie on top of everything to keep straight. God doesn’t give you anything more than you can handle, which is how we all pushed through. We were able to overcome everything as a team, especially with Ryan at the helm.”
