Black Panther: Wakanda Forever might prove to be one of the most emotionally harrowing theatrical experiences, not just in the comic book realm, but the Hollywood film industry as a whole. Chadwick Boseman’s demise came across as a crushing blow, with even Marvel Studios wanting to preserve his legacy, by not recasting his role as the Wakandan king. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is set to close out Phase 4 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and premieres November 11 worldwide. But before that, we’ll be treated to the Millie Bobby Brown-led mystery sequel Enola Holmes 2, which sees the eponymous, chirpy young detective tackle her first “official” case. It drops November 4 on Netflix.
Coming to the local fare, we’ve got two Hindi-language remakes of Malayalam films. First up, Janhvi Kapoor kicks things off with Mili, a survival thriller that locks her in a meat freezer, as the temperature drops drastically. With Sunny Kaushal ( will follow suit.
Principal photography was planned to begin in June 2021, but got delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic (second wave). While the claustrophobic scenes within the freezer and other indoor settings were shot in Mumbai, the crew was forced to shift to Dehradun for mall sequences, as such public establishments were shut down for health and safety reasons.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
When: November 11
Where: Cinemas
In the wake of King T’Challa’s (Boseman) death, the Wakandans strive to embrace their next chapter, strengthening their familial bonds and arming themselves to prepare for any oncoming threats. Seeing their vulnerable state, a new mutant in Namor (Tenoch Huerta), the ruler of the underwater Talocan kingdom, makes haste for the surface world, ensuing an all-out attack on Wakanda. Canonically, both Wakanda and Talocan (Atlantis in the comics) have an intertwined history, with both kingdoms anticipating an attack from either party, with the former even maintaining a database on the submerged realm.
As outside militant forces break in to extract Vibranium, Shuri (Letitia Wright) seems set to step into the Black Panther suit. This transition is the result of a script rework, as writer-director Ryan Coogler initially planned Black Panther: Wakanda Forever with Boseman in mind, before he passed away in 2020. The MCU film is granted the added responsibility of introducing Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne) aka Ironheart, who briefly debuted in the film’s San Diego Comic-Con trailer.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever also stars returning actors Angela Bassett as Queen Ramonda, Winston Duke as M’Baku, Danai Gurira as General Okoye, Lupita Nyong’o (Us) as War Dog Nakia, and Martin Freeman (Sherlock) as CIA operative Everett Ross.
Watch the Trailer for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Angela Bassett as Queen Ramonda in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Photo Credit: Marvel Studios
Monica, O My Darling
When: November 11
Where: Netflix
A slick robotics expert from the “exotic” town of Angola gets cornered, when a passionate affair takes an unfortunate turn. Jayanth Arkhedkar (Rajkummar Rao) is the individual in question, who gets involved with a femme fatale, the titular Monica (Huma Qureshi), who blackmails him into serving her needs. Learning that he isn’t the only hostage here, he teams up with fellow victims, the henchman (Sikander Kher) and the accountant (Bagavathi Perumal), to devise a perfect murder plan.
Vasan Bala (Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota) directs the whodunnit dark comedy, and describes it as an “ode to movies about the perfect plan that led to mayhem in the lives of the people involved.” There’s also a hint about robots crushing human skulls — that’s a cool way to murder someone; no DNA traces.
Hot on their trail is the Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Naidu, played by Radhika Apte, who sports a peculiar accent and is particularly suspicious about Jayanth’s involvement with the victim. With Monica, O My Darling, Apte reunites with writer Yogesh Chandekar, following 2018’s Andhadhun.
The only Indian original film from Netflix in November, Monica, O My Darling also stars Akansha Ranjan Kapoor (Ray), Sukant Goel (Dobaaraa), and Zayn Marie Khan (Mrs. Serial Killer) in unnamed roles.
Watch the Trailer for Monica, O My Darling, Out November 11
Rajkummar Rao in a still from Monica, O My Darling
Photo Credit: Netflix
The Wonder
When: November 16
Where: Netflix
Florence Pugh returns to her arthouse roots, in this period drama from acclaimed Chilean filmmaker Sebastián Lelio (A Fantastic Woman). Set in the Irish Midlands in 1862, Lib Wright, an English nurse is summoned to a tiny village, in hopes of examining what appears as a medical anomaly to some, while others see it as god’s miracle. Anna O’Donnell (Kíla Lord Cassidy) is an 11-year-old girl who claims to have not eaten a morsel of food in four months, feasting solely on “manna from heaven.”
Unbeknownst to the child, her health is rapidly deteriorating, forcing Wright to unearth the truth, and challenge the faith of a community that would rather prefer seeing her as the chosen one. Is she doing it of her own accord or is she being pressured? Is it all an act? Is there truly a spiritual entity involved? These are some of the questions The Wonder poses, whilst maintaining a dead-silent eerie atmosphere. Emma Donoghue based the screenplay off her own 2016 novel, alongside Leio and Alice Birch (Succession).
Cinematographer Ari Wegner reunites with Pugh, following 2016’s Lady Macbeth, introducing a bleaker colour palette in the vein of Robert Eggers’ The Witch. The Wonder also stars Tom Burke, Elaine Cassidy as mother Rosaleen O’Donnell, Caolán Byrne as father Malachy O’Donnell, and Toby Jones (Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom) as a stumped doctor named McBrearty.
Drishyam 2
When: November 18
Where: Cinemas
Seven years after the original murder investigation, the Salgaonkar family case is reopened, as a new, unnamed police official (Akshaye Khanna) steps into the Goan town. Their thoroughly searched backyard comes under suspicion once again, building trauma from that one fateful night, when they killed and buried the local IG’s (Inspector-general of police) son, following a physical dispute.
Vijay Salgaonkar (Devgn) has now grown into a movie theatre owner, living a peaceful, albeit alert life with his family: wife Nandini (Shriya Saran), and daughters Anju and Anu, played by Ishita Dutta (Blank) and Mrunal Jadhav, respectively. Laxmikant Gaitonde (Kamlesh Sawant), who was suspended in the 2015 prequel, for being extremely violent towards the family, is brought back to help with the investigation. Tabu also returns as Meera Deshmukh, the victim’s mother, who is now seeking vengeance against the cunning, fourth-fail Vijay.
Abhishek Pathak directs and based the screenplay on the original Jeetu Joseph Malayalam-language film, which dropped on Amazon Prime Video last year. Now that COVID-19 restrictions have eased up, this new Hindi-language Drishyam 2 will see a theatrical release.
Strange World
When: November 25
Where: Theatres
The Clades, a legendary family of explorers, are invited onto a mysterious Dr. Seuss-like planet, as means to save the world from “grave danger.” Representing the crew, however, is Searcher Clade (Jake Gyllenhaal), a peaceful farmer who has lived under his heroic father’s shadow for most of his life — until the latter went missing on an expedition. With no outs left, the reluctant family man leads his motley crew — son Ethan (Jaboukie Young-White), wife Meridian (Gabrielle Union), and a three-legged dog — on an interstellar journey across the stars to fix the undisclosed crisis.
Stepping into the pink-hued world, Disney’s latest animated film introduces ravenous creatures, ranging from the likes of a tentacular slug, a squeaky blue blob, swarms of airborne fishes that create bridges, and oddly enough, Searcher’s long-lost father Jaeger Clade (Dennis Quaid). Teaming up on the world-saving mission, the generation-spanning family must put their differences aside and focus on the task at hand, as they venture through a living, vibrant planet whose waters can dissolve flesh off bones.
Don Hall, who rose to prominence with Big Hero 6, directs Strange World from a screenplay by Qui Nguyen (Raya and the Last Dragon). The film also stars Lucy Liu (Kill Bill: Vol. 1) as President Callisto Mal, summoning the family on the expedition.
Watch the Trailer for Disney’s Strange World
Don Hall, best known for Big Hero 6 directs Disney’s Strange World
Photo Credit: Disney
