News

Hundreds attend early Alexandria screening of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

By James Cullum
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Hundreds of Alexandrians packed into the AMC Hoffman Center 22 Thursday night to see an early screening of Marvel’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.

The event was attended by hundreds of fans in costumes, and included food and live music.

It was also a sequel for City Councilman John Taylor Chapman’s Manumission Tour Company and Elijah Walter Griffin, Sr.’s Griffin Vision Media. The team collaborated for their first screening at the now-demolished Potomac Yard movie theater when the first Black Panther released in 2018.

“It’s very important to the city to have events like this,” Griffin said. “Everybody’s excited to see this movie, and it’s important because we need more Black heroes.”

Griffin and Chapman have also hosted viewing parties for the films Green Book and Harriet. No word yet on their next collaboration.

The event was sponsored by National Capital Bank of Washington, fibre space, the Debra Deneise Smith Foundation, Colorectal Cancer Alliance, The Rub and Hen Quarter, Black upStart, kweliTV, SpottedMP, Beverly Tatum, Realtor, Virginia Black Lifestyle Magazine and Dyvine BBQ.

Incidentally, Alexandria (at least the name) was a featured location in the movie.

About the Author

  • Reporter James Cullum has spent nearly 20 years covering Northern Virginia. He began working with ALXnow in 2020, and has covered every story under the sun for the publication, from investigative stories to features and photo galleries. His work includes coverage of national and international situations, as well as from the White House, Capitol, Pentagon, Supreme Court and State Department. He's covered protests and riots throughout the U.S. (including the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol), in addition to earthquake-ridden Haiti, Western Sahara in North Africa and war-torn South Sudan. He has photographed presidents and other world leaders, celebrities and famous musicians, and excels under pressure.