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Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is the latest Marvel outing to smash box office records and push the ever expanding MCU into new territory. It’s not just a superhero epic, but a cathartic exploration of grief and loss after the devastating death of lead actor Chadwick Boseman in 2020. Boseman played King T’Challa in four MCU films, and Wakanda Forever weaves his passing into its narrative.
The sequel sees the women of Wakanda mourn the death of T’Challa and fight to protect their nation from intervening powers without the protection of the Black Panther. It’s a moving tribute to Boseman, with both his absence and presence felt simultaneously. When large scale films like these have an emotional streak, whether in the story or reality, they become blockbusters that really make audiences feel something.
‘Avengers: Endgame’ (2019)
Avengers: Endgame marks the end of an era for the MCU, with many major players such as Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) and Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) making their final appearance. It also marks the end of the Infinity Saga and Thanos’s (Josh Brolin) reign of terror on the MCU.
In the three-hour epic, half of humanity has been snapped out of existence by Thanos, and the remaining Avengers must go on a time traveling adventure to reverse the mad titan’s actions. With a number of significant deaths, nostalgic callbacks and a final battle for the ages, it’s Marvel’s most emotional film second to Wakanda Forever.
‘Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker’ (2019)
While most Star Wars fans can agree that The Rise of Skywalker is a mixed bag and certainly not the super satisfying finale audiences were expecting, it still manages to be a highly emotional experience in other ways.
It brings a close to the Skywalker saga and offers the final on screen performance from the legendary Carrie Fisher. While it’s bittersweet to see some of these characters for the last time, Leia’s final appearance hits home due differently. The film manages to interweave Fisher’s passing into the narrative and give her a fitting sendoff.
‘The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1’ (2014)
Every Hunger Games film is an emotional experience due to its setting, themes and circumstances, but Mockingjay: Part 1, the first half of the two-parter finale, hits hard in a different way. It’s not so much to do with the film, but rather one of the final performances from the late, great Philip Seymour Hoffman.
Hoffman played Plutarch Heavensbee in the series, and passed away in 2014 mid-shoot. Existing footage and digital trickery were used to work around his role, and while he very briefly appears in Part 2, Part 1’s meatier role really does feel like his real final performance.
‘The Crow’ (1994)
The Crow is a dark, moody and thrilling comic book adaptation that will always be overshadowed by the on-set death of its star, Brandon Lee. In a freak accident, Lee was tragically shot and killed with a prop gun that contained a real bullet.
The film follows a man who is resurrected and seeks revenge for the murder of his fiancé. It’s incredibly hard to watch knowing that Lee died during filming, but was a huge commercial and critical success in the 90s. The film showcases Lee’s talents, a rising star who had so much more to offer.
‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2’ (2011)
After ten magical years, the Harry Potter series came to an end with the emotional and epic finale Deathly Hallows: Part 2. The film sees Hogwarts under attack as Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) and Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes) face each other for the final battle.
Satisfying in every sense, it marks the end of an era for a generation who grew up with Harry, Ron (Rupert Grint), Hermione (Emma Watson) and the wizarding world. Everything has led to this moment as loose ends are tied up, characters get moving farewells and the stakes are at an all-time high.
‘The Dark Knight’ (2008)
Considered to be one of the greatest comic book movies of all time, The Dark Knight is a superhero film quite unlike any other. This is largely due to Heath Ledger’s iconic performance as the Joker, widely seen as the best portrayal of the villain.
Ledger passed away from an accidental overdose in 2008, only months before the release of the film that would earn him a posthumous Oscar and cement his name in cinema history. The film is a reminder of this tragedy and the legacy Ledger left behind.
‘Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb’ (2014)
The Night at the Museum trilogy is a whole lot of fun, as an eclectic ensemble of museum exhibits come to life, led by Ben Stiller’s security guard Larry Daley. However, the final film, Secret of the Tomb, is a bittersweet affair. It marks the final on screen performance from Hollywood legend Robin Williams.
Williams portrayed Theodore Roosevelt in the series, and passed away in 2014. The film was released at the end of the year, and as Larry farewells his friend Teddy, we also say farewell to Williams, a talent who brought so much joy to audiences everywhere.
‘Furious 7’ (2015)
The Fast and Furious movies are some of the most successful Hollywood blockbusters of all time, with the biggest stars and explosions. 2015’s Furious 7 is largely considered the best entry, predominantly because of the way it honors its late star Paul Walker.
Walker played Brian O’Conner in the series, and was shockingly killed in a car accident at the end of 2013. Walker had filmed most of his scenes for Furious 7, and thanks to VFX and his brothers acting as stand-ins, fans are given a heartbreaking final exchange between Brian and Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) before the two drive off in separate directions.
‘Titanic’ (1997)
James Cameron’s Titanic remains one of the most popular blockbusters of all time, still breaking hearts around the world. The mix of real life tragedy and fictional star-crossed lovers makes for a roller coaster journey over its three-hour runtime.
It’s Titanic’s final hour, dedicated almost entirely to the sinking of the doomed titular ship, that has the ability to make even the toughest moviegoers sob uncontrollably. Even though they know exactly how it ends, audiences still hope the ship will somehow avoid the iceberg, or that there’s enough room for both Rose (Kate Winslet) and Jack (Leonardo DiCaprio) on that raft.
‘Black Panther’ (2018)
While Wakanda Forever is an emotional watch due to Chadwick Boseman’s absence, the original Black Panther is now an emotional watch because of his presence. The smash hit was already one of Marvel’s most critically acclaimed films, but watching it after the actor’s passing hits completely differently.
Boseman is charismatic and warm yet commanding and powerful in the role of T’Challa, and watching the film is a reminder of his talents that were taken from us far too soon. Hollywood was lucky to have him, and Black Panther is a bittersweet reminder of this.
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