THE BLACK PANTHER: A MOVIE TREATMENT
The story takes time in our current day, maybe a year or two in our distant future.
Global politics hasn’t changed much, America is the still the superpower, Europe its closest ally, China and India are still growing fast and strong, while the middle-East continues to face uncertain changes. The Arab spring in North Africa has given a new door for the West to engage their African policies.
Fueled by the instability of the Middle East, Europe use this opportunity to scout and secure new natural resources by making sure that if there is an ‘African Spring”, it doesn’t bother or unseat those leaders that are pro-West.
On the other hand, spearheaded through the gates of Somalia, all types of extremists are joining forces, which worry the U.S.
The U.S and Europe decide to sanction a joint mission with different agendas. For Europe, it is a “U.N sanctioned” mission to ensure that upcoming revolutions do not turn deadly or with humanitarian crisis, so they send armed troops; For the U.S, an anonymous covert operation tags along, but their mission is to track, dismantle and eliminate all potential and existing terrorist threats before any base is implanted.
The action takes place in the volatile Great Lakes region of central Africa, also called the African belt. The situation is tense, and any day, a major conflict can explode.
Adding to the drama, to everyone surprise, both the U.S and Europe receive disturbing reports of failed mission, missing or destroyed equipments and inability to penetrate certain areas. Rebels are being blamed, terrorist activity is being raised, and both the U.S and Europe decide to increase the level of mission.
Watching all the moves of the foreign troops on the ground, as well as monitoring their communication, is an old man in a very sophisticated command center. One of his subordinate approaches him with a report bearing the insignia of a Panther. After reading it, he concludes that it is time: “we will not stay hidden much longer; we have to bring him back…”
In Manhattan, New York, a young Post-doc student named Tony Cabral is getting ready to attend a genius's lecture in the Baxter building about the potential existence of a vibration absorbing metal, when he receives a text message informing of a last second cancellation; two seconds later, he receives an invitation to attend the exclusive meeting of the “African scientist society of America” (ASSA). The ASSA regroups African Scientists living in the U.S who are engaged in advance research on various domains.
When Tony reaches the hall meeting, there are about 200-300 people from various African countries. A woman leads him to an adjacent room, where about 20 people are standing, they all have nametags with their country flags on it, Rwanda, Congo, Mali, Guinea, Ghana; Tony expect to receive one bearing the flag of the Central African Republic, but to his surprise, they all bow down to him, and say “Your Highness, Prince T’challa.”
In a closed meeting, the U.S president and his close advisers are discussing the African situation, when one military adviser suggests sending an additional covert operation to investigate the situation. This group mission will be solely responsible for reporting why the mission is failing. The president agrees.
The adviser then goes to his handpicked man who has experience in Africa, and informs him of the mission before adding: “You and I both know why this mission is failing, I think it is time we show our little friends that their hiding game is not as good as they think…but before we introduce the global community to…Wakanda, do not forget your “unofficial mission”…find the metal, and make sure nobody knows of its existence…you do this for us, and I will keep my promise that nobody in the State department will even know that Ulysse Klaw is still alive.”
On that note, both Ulysse Klaw and Prince T’Challa are heading back to Africa, for two different agenda. With so many secrets ready to be unveiled, Wakanda will be forced to be revealed to the world, while America will have its first meeting with a nation that does not respond kindly to invasion and whose reaction will be to take the battle back on U.S soil.
Will Ulysse succeed in exposing Wakanda and putting his hand on Vibranium?
Will Ulysse covert-operation succeed in making Wakanda attack the U.S?
How will freshman leader T’Challa handle his first crisis?
Key alteration from the comic book:
• T’challa is a post-doc student under an assumed name and country, who has no interest in becoming the Black Panther yet.
• Since Wakanda has never been colonized, it doesn’t fit within the artificial borders of the African continent; hence Wakanda is more of an Ethnic group existing within several current countries, and had had arrangement with each ruler not to be disturbed and stay hidden.
• Ulysse Klaw is one of the few men outside Wakanda to know of its existence, and he has infiltrated the U.S top ranked to find a way to get his hands on the Vibranium.
• Since Wakanda does not exist on the map, its people have infiltrated the “established” nations and carries passport from different countries.
• Wakanda advancement is due to its people ability to study abroad, bring the knowledge back and mix it with their own, while their great technology is due to having access to all resources from minerals to wood to test and build great tech.
This and so many goodies that combine Real and Geopolitic, espionage and cover-op, action and a realistic take on the African culture could make a Black panther movie worth making and watching.