Terry Gilliam says ‘Black Panther’ “makes his blood boil” and claims crew had “never been to Africa”

Terry Gilliam has hit out at Black Panther, saying the Marvel movie “makes [his] blood boil” and claiming the crew behind it “have never been to Africa”.

The Monty Python writer was asked in a recent interview if he thought the film, which won three Oscars, only received the attention it did because of how it broached “identity politics”.

“It makes my blood boil,” Gilliam told IndieWire. “I hated Black Panther. It makes me crazy. It gives young black kids the idea that this is something to believe in. Bullshit. It’s utter bullshit.”

He then made his claim that the film’s crew had “never been to Africa” before working on the movie. “They went and got some stylist for some African pattern fabrics and things. But I just hated that movie, partly because the media were going on about the importance of bullshit.”

But, as Consequence Of Sound notes, the Black Panther team did visit Africa. Director Ryan Coogler took a team, including production designer Hannah Beachler, on a trip to the continent to learn about aspects of its history that could be important to the movie. Some shots were also filmed in South Africa, Zambia, and Uganda.

Meanwhile, a second Black Panther film is in the works and due for release on May 6, 2022. Its release date was confirmed last summer at the D23 Expo. Coogler will return to direct the sequel and has said the team are “taking their time with it”.

Martin Freeman, who played CIA agent Everett K. Ross in the first movie, has confirmed himself to appear in Black Panther 2, while Kendrick Lamar – who curated the Black Panther soundtrack – has suggested he would be up for playing a villain in the next film.