Marvel movies need no introduction when it comes to larger-than-life depictions and astounding filming locations, and when the second Black Panther movie — Black Panther: Wakanda Forever — released in November 2022, it followed the footsteps of its highly acclaimed predecessor. From Busan in South Korea to Argentina, Atlanta and Massachusetts, we bring to you some of the popular and stunning Black Panther filming locations that you can actually visit.
As an ode to the late Chadwick Boseman, Marvel Studios did not reprise the role of the Marvel comics hero, which made the creators weave the storyline in a completely new way. Avengers and Marvel Studios fans first got a glimpse of this African hero in the 2016 flick Captain America: Civil War and since then a strong fan cry for his own separate movie has grown with Black Panther rolling out in 2018.
Just like the incredible hero and the Marvel Studios’ gripping production and storyline, the gorgeous shooting locations of both Black Panther and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, spread across the world are equally mind-blowing.
Check Out Some Of The Most Stunning Filming Locations Of Black Panther And Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Mary Ross Waterfront Park
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever was shot at large in Georgia, Puerto Rico and Massachusetts. Though the shooting began in June 2021, it had to be paused several times due to COVID-19 and was finally wrapped up in May 2022.
Brunswick city in Georgia was one of the places where the cast and crew of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever were spotted at 10 F Street around Mary Ross Waterfront Park. The beautiful location became the backdrop for several underwater sequences which were apparently shot atop a 91 metre cruise ship.
If you are looking for a respite from the hullabaloo of Atlanta, the most populous city in Georgia, and Brunswick, the second-largest urban city in the state, Mary Ross Waterfront Park offers the perfect getaway. Located in downtown Brunswick, the park has the Liberty Ship Memorial Plaza which houses a replica of the Liberty Ship just like the ones built by the Brunswick shipyards during World War II. It also has an amphitheatre, an outdoor musical playscape and a farmers’ market.
Wheat Street Towers
The Wheat Street Towers near Downtown Atlanta feature both during the opening and final scenes of the first film and has some unique and important symbolic meanings attached to it.
Located in the popular African-American neighbourhood of Sweet Auburn District, very close to the birthplace of Martin Luther King, the Wheat Street Towers provide the backdrop of the 1992 flashback scene. The film shows a high-rise project for the elderly in Oakland, California, but in real life, the shooting took place at the Wheat Street Towers at 375 Auburn Avenue NE, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
It became more prominent in the final scenes when King T’Challa tells his younger sister Shuri (Letitia Wright) about Wakanda’s plans of investing in building a cultural and educational centre.
The place was given the moniker Sweet Auburn by John Wesley Dobbs in connotation to a street lined with huge African-American business centres. Such is its cultural and historic importance that the place was accredited as a National Historic Landmark District in 1976.
San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan, Puerto Rico became one of the principal filming locations for the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever team. It was the facade of the old Ritz Carlton Hotel and Casino in Avenida Los Gobernadores in Carolina, where the crew first set up lights and scenes. This former luxury hotel was completely destroyed by a hurricane and the ruins were later used by Marvel Studios for the production of certain flashback scenes in this film.
Puerto Rico stands as a dazzling diamond in the Caribbean. Characterised by sparkling azure waters, great diversity and vibrant energy, the most populous city of the country is a haven for history enthusiasts and beach lovers. Some of the main attractions here include the Old San Juan district and luxury beachfront communities such as Ocean Park and Condado. San Juan has a lot to offer in terms of historic tourist attractions including the El Morro citadel and the 16th-century La Fortaleza fortress, which, along with other structures in its vicinity such as Castillo San Cristóbal fortress, has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1983.
Iguazu Waterfalls
The cascading waterfall network makes for a spectacular opening of the Black Panther trailer where a massive futuristic aeroplane jets out of the fall while a voice in the background says, “I have seen Gods fly.” And, we know what a treat lies ahead of us.
The aerial sequences of the warrior falls were shot at the gorgeous Iguazu Falls, located at the Argentina-Brazil border. Coupled with the brilliance of Marvel Studios, the gigantic waterfall make the place a worthy backdrop for such a grand superhero film. This warrior falls is also the site where King T’Challa gets coronated.
Another UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Iguazu waterfalls and the national park were inscribed in 1984. The fall network is formed on the Iguazu River at the border of the Argentine province of Misiones and the Brazilian state of Paraná and can be reached via hiking trails on either side.
Interestingly, the ensuing unforgettable fighting challenge sequence is also shown to take place at the rocky cliff of this warrior falls. However, in real life, it was filmed at Pinewood Studios in Atlanta where most of the filming of the fictitious Wakanda nation was done. The shooting of its capital Birnin Zana also involved a lot of green screens and elements that were digitally created.
High Museum of Art, Atlanta
The first Black Panther film shows Ulysses Klaue (Andy Serkis) and Erik Stevens aka Killmonger (Michael B Jordan) steal a Wakandian axe made of pure vibranium from London’s Museum of Great Britain. This might instantly raise an eyebrow if you think that such a place doesn’t exist. And yes, you are right.
The filming location is actually in front of the white facade and exteriors of Atlanta’s High Museum of Art. Situated at 1280 Peachtree Street, Atlanta, Georgia, the museum is simply referred to as the ‘High’ by locals and houses a jaw-dropping collection of over 15,000 artworks ranging from 15th-century American art to contemporary painting and African artworks. The place also holds art events for kids and is a fun and interactive centre for cultural exchange.
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Since a young Shuri is destined to take over her brother’s position in Wakanda, succeed in her life and gain quality education from one of the top-ranking universities in the world, it only made sense for the crew of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever to head to Cambridge, Massachusetts, where they chose the revered Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) as a shooting location. Here, several scenes were shot outside Stratton Student Center and Simmons Hall of MIT.
Established in 1861, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology is located across the Charles River in Boston near Kendall Square and offers a picturesque campus with pristine scenery. Cambridge itself is a beautiful and bustling city dotted with historical museums, culinary delights, prestigious colleges and more.
Massachusetts also has another famous Black Panther: Wakanda Forever filming location — the city of Worcester in New England. Often called the ‘heart of the Commonwealth,’ a moniker that perfectly fits the diverse symbolism of the Marvel film, it houses the Ernest A. Johnson Tunnel where the crew filmed a thrilling car chase sequence in August 2021. Another such action sequence was shot atop the Harvard Bridge, connecting Boston and Cambridge.
Busan, South Korea
The first film has a number of brilliant cinematic scenes that were shot across South Korea and more specifically in Busan. The iconic car chase scene from Black Panther which establishes the setting of the Asian city is shot in and around the area of the popular Gwangalli Bridge with the adjoining Gwangalli Beach. This 1.4 km long bridge shimmers under the night lights adding to the superhero effect that this Marvel movie is all about.
Another filming location in South Korea is the Jagalchi Market. When T’Challa learns that the Wakandan vibranium will be sold to an American, he heads off to Korea to decode the diabolic plans of Ulysses. He arrives in Busan, the country’s second most-populated city after Seoul. The exchange takes place in a secret location in the Jagalchi Market – Korea’s largest and most famous seafood market.
The market sees a massive footfall due to its incredible collection of dried and fresh raw fish and seafood including mackerel, sea squirts (ascidians) and whale meat which are sold in wooden boxes by the road.
T’Challa, Okoye (Danai Gurira) and Nakia (Lupita Nyong’o) follow the track down the market to retrieve the artefact from an underground casino. Though the scenes in the fish market are filmed in Busan, the lanes leading to the casino entrance are shot in the Metropolitan Art and Business District complex, commonly known as MET Atlanta, located at 675 Metropolitan Parkway SW, Atlanta. Again, the interiors of the embellished casino take the fans to the studio sets. Interestingly, the secret CIA site, supposedly in South Korea, is also filmed in Atlanta.
Some other noted filming locations in South Korea include the area around the docks of Yeongdo Island, Namhang Bridge, Dongseo University as well as the Sajik Baseball Stadium.
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Bouckaert farm, Chattahoochee Hills, Atlanta
The final action sequence in the battle scenes in Black Panther gives you a sense of the grandeur of Marvel Studios. It is here, at the Bouckaert farm, that King T’Challa and his army battle Killmonger and the Border Tribe, led by W’Kabi (Daniel Kaluuya). This mesmerising urban farm, also known as Chattahoochee Hills Eventing, encompasses an area of 32 sq km and is the ideal setting for the vast Wakanda nation.
Did you know, this is also the location where the battle sequence of Avengers: Infinity War was filmed as both movies were being produced at the same time?
Other filming locations
Some other noted filming locations in Georgia include the Atlanta air salvage, where Ulysses is left by Killmonger after he is released from custody. It is a recovery and storage facility in Griffin, Georgia.
The post-credits scene of Black Panther where T’Challa announces free access to all Wakanda resources in the interest of everyone at the United Nations, supposedly in Vienna, is actually filmed at the Atlanta City Hall. The structure is a heritage building designed in Neo-Gothic architecture.
(Main Image: courtesy Black Panther/ © 2017 – Disney/Marvel Studios/ IMDb; Feature Image: courtesy Black Panther/IMDb)
This story was first published on Lifestyle Asia Singapore.
