Black Panther is the 245th episode of Screen Junkies comedy series Honest Trailers. It was written by Spencer Gilbert, Joe Starr, Dan Murrell and Danielle Radford. It was narrated by Jon Bailey as Epic Voice Guy. It parodies the 2018 Marvel superhero film Black Panther. It was released on May 15, 2018 to coincide with the release of the film on home video and Blu-ray. It is 5 minutes 13 seconds long. It has been viewed over 6.5 million times.
Watch Honest Trailers - Black Panther on YouTube
"One thing sets him apart from all the other MCU heroes; not because he's black, not because his royalty, nope, because he's a Marvel hero who just won't quip." ~ Honest Trailers - Black Panther
Script[]
After seventeen movies, the MCU finally went black; putting out a black-crewed, black cast superhero movie that's one the best ever released, leaving it's haters with only one option: watching every other MCU movie ever made.
Black Panther
Just when you thought Chadwick Boseman had called dibs on every black icon (Jackie Robinson in 42, James Brown in Get On Up and Thurgood Marshall in Marshall), he's suiting up as Black Panther; a superhero with high-tech suit of Iron Man (Panther Habit), the all-natural steroids of Captain America (Heart-Shaped Herb), and the invisible jet of Wonder Woman (Royal Talon Fighter); but one thing sets him apart from all the other MCU heroes; not because he's black, not because his royalty, nope, because he's a Marvel hero who just won't quip.
Shuri: Eeh, the people are shooting at me! Wait, let me put it on my helmet.
T'Challa: Enough.
Okoye: You froze...
T'Challa: Aah....
M'Baku: We will not help you.
T'Challa: (exhales deeply in sigh)
Shuri: Did he froze?
Okoye: Like an antelope in headlights.
T'Challa: Are you finished?
Wait, his dad just died and he didn't crack a joke? I thought you had to be smart-ass to save the world.
Starlord: Dance off, bro!
Journey to Wakanda, a combination of The Jetsons and a 1990's Jet magazine; it's the source of all the world's vibranium, a material so powerful, it tops Tony Stark's tech and Doctor Strange's magic as the BS that can do whatever the script needs it to do.
Agent Ross: There's vibranium on those trains?
Shuri: There's vibranium all around us. That's how I healed you.
This secret kingdom has been hidden for centuries, thanks to the iron clad policy of... asking people not to say anything...
Okoye: You will speak nothing of this day.
...but after sitting out the slave trade, brutal dictators, two world wars, multiple alien invasions and a sentient AI (Ultron), using vibranium to destroy the Earth, they're finally ready to get involved... in Bay Area real estate.
T'Challa: I bought this building, and that building, and that over there.
Kitten steps, you guys.
After taking eighteen movies to get six quality villains (Loki, Klaue, Vulture, Hela, Killmonger and Thanos), cry as Marvel just takes three movies to cut it back to two, maybe one (Vulture); but for one shining moment, we have Klaue, Andy Serkis' joyous portrayal of a guy that doesn't had to wear a mocap suit...
Klaue: That was awesome! That was awesome!
...and Killmonger, Michael B. Jordan's Michael Jordan of Marvel villains.
Killmonger: Hey, auntie.
He's the buffest dude to ever graduated from MIT, who ribbed for your pleasure, and who actually wins the argument and changes the hero's mind.
Killmonger: Where was Wakanda?
T'Challa: All of you were wrong!!! To turn back on the rest of the world...
So wait, Killmonger was right? I'm not used to this much nuance in my Marvel villains. Quick! Make him choke an old lady so I know who to root for (show clips of Killmonger choking herb farmer, then drops her down). Phew! Oh, there he is.
While the boys are at play, it was the women of Black Panther who do all the work; like Okoye, literally snatcher of wigs; Shuri, expert in weaponized memes...
Shuri: What are those???
...Angela Bassett as herself (Ramonda); and Nakia, who after all the debate between T'Challa and Killmonger, was making the same case all along and never got the credit for it.
Nakia: Wakanda is strong enough to help others and protect ourselves at the same time.
Also, she saved the royal family.
Nakia: Let's go!
Also, she saved the future of the Black Panther. Wow, I'm not used to this much agency in my Marvel love interests. Quick! Have her get rescued so I know who heroes are (show clips of Killmonger's party storming through interrogation room to save Klaue, while Black Panther jumps on top of the bomb to diffuse it)
Agent Ross: Get down!!!
Phew!
So enjoy this movie with great acting, a great story...
T'Challa: I must set this things right..
...great themes, and a great cultural significance; that almost lets you forget about under-developed love story...
W'Kabi: Would you kill me, my love?
...the terrible CGI, or a big forgettable third act brouhaha. In other words, it's a Marvel movie.
Starring The Superhero Formerly Known as Prince (Chadwick Boseman as T'Challa/Black Panther), Oooh, There's Wallace (Michael B. Jordan as Erik Killmonger), Lupita You're So Fine You Blow My Mind, Lupita! *clap clap* Lupita! (Lupita Nyongo as Nakia), Fear the Shaving Head (Danai Gurira as Okoye), Bilbo Watson (Martin Freeman as Agent Everett K. Ross), Token 'Tolkien White Guys' Joke (reference of Martin Freeman's role as Bilbo Baggins and Andy Serkis' role as Gollum in The Hobbit), The Best Disney Princess (Letitia Wright as Shuri), War Dog: Way of the Samurai (Forrest Whitaker as Zuri), Buster Bluth (Andy Serkis as Ulysee Klaue), Got Out (Daniel Kaluuya as W'Kabi), I Blessed The Trains Down to Africa (Wakanda's underground railway) and The Arsenio Hall Show (Winston Duke as M'Baku).
The Aristocat!
You know, his heart's in the right place, but maybe don't let Everett Ross keep any guys with one arm in custody. Guy's zero for two (show clips of Klaue's custody escape scene with Bucky's custody escape scene from Captain America: Civil War).
Trivia []
- All members of the writing team enjoyed Black Panther and the Honest Trailer is overwhelmingly positive towards it. The writers admit they had to nitpick it for the sake of this Honest Trailer.
- Screen Junkies revisited Black Panther in their Honest Trailer for the 2019 Academy Award 'Best Picture' nominees.
- Screen Junkies have also produced several other Honest Trailers for Marvel Cinematic Universe solo superhero movies including Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, The Incredible Hulk, Doctor Strange, Ant-Man and many more. See list of Honest Trailers for more.
Watch the full commentary on YouTube
Reception[]
Honest Trailers - Black Panther has a 94.9% approval rating from YouTube viewers. Many media sites found the Honest Trailer notable because of how positive it was towards Black Panther. CBR.com wrote that "it’s no surprise Honest Trailers finds little fault with the film — at least, compared to their usual biting commentary." In the same article, CBR.com praised Screen Junkies "jabs at vibranium’s seemingly unlimited capacity to fit the writer’s plot points" and "the deserved poke at Wakanda’s inaction in some serious world events." Movieweb said agreed Screen Junkies only "very lightly roast" Black Panther. Movieweb appreciated the Honest Trailer for pointing out Black Panther's similarities to other Marvel movies, including its "under-developed love stories, terrible CGI and the massive third act battle." Cnet also found the Honest Trailer notable for its positive slant on the film, and for highlighting that T'Challa's main distinguishing feature is that he "doesn't constantly wisecrack." Cinemablend and The Mary Sue made similar points and also highlighted the way the Honest Trailer poked fun at Wakanda's apparent willingness to sit out major 20th Century conflicts.
Production credits[]
Voiceover Narration by Jon Bailey
Title design by Robert Holtby
Producers - Dan Murrell, Spencer Gilbert, Joe Starr and Max Dionne
Written by Spencer Gilbert, Joe Starr, Dan Murrell and Danielle Radford
Supervising Producer: Warren Tessler
Production Coordinator: Tina Choi
Edited by Kevin Williamsen and TJ Nordaker
Post-Production Supervisor: Gracie Hartmann
Post-Production Coordinator: Carolyn Croce
Assistant Editor: Emin Bassavand
External links[]
- Honest Trailers has trouble finding fault with Black Panther - Cnet article
- Black Panther Honest Trailer Refuses to Be Mean to the Marvel Epic - MovieWeb article
- 'Black Panther' Gets an Honest Trailer - Comicbook.com article
- Black Panther’s Honest Trailer Pokes Fun At T'Challa - Cinemablend article
- The Honest Trailer for Black Panther Is Here, and Now I Have That Toto Song Stuck in My Head - The Mary Sue article
- Black Panther Honest Trailer: A Marvel Superhero Who Just Won’t Quip - ScreenRant article
- Black Panther Honest Trailer Introduces a Hero Who Just Won’t Quip - CBR.com