Lebron James has finally had a chance to see Marvel’s Black Panther, and the Cavaliers star was full of effusive praise for the #1 movie in the world. The latest Marvel installment has captured the pop culture zeitgeist and we are seeing tremendous reactions from all corners of the world. What makes this film so important is that the cast and crew are predominantly made up of black people and its director, Ryan Coogler, is black. For years Hollywood’s reasoning for the dearth of black films was their belief that black led movies would not be financially profitable and embraced by the mainstream. James for one is happy this film was made and recognizes its importance.
In his media availability prior to the Cavaliers game against the Nets this evening, James talked about the importance of representation, and what it means to see characters – specifically superheroes – on screen that look like him. He talked about what it means to his sons, and why given the climate we currently live in, this film is so critical.
LeBron has always been one of the more vocal and thoughtful athletes of his generation. He really understands the importance of the platform he has and power he can wield. He often talks about making it out of his poor circumstances as a kid and how he wants to inspire others to do the same.
Flip the page for Bron’s full review of Black Panther, courtesy of ESPN’s Dave McMeniman.