‘Wakanda Forever’ designer on water sets: ‘I had to weigh costumes down so they wouldn’t float’

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever costume designer Ruth Carter delved into the intricate costume designs for the film and the challenges that came with it.

According to Variety, the sequel of Black Panther has extensively covered the underwater city of Talokan, where the new character Namor ruled the coast of Mexico; thus, it involves many Mayan art and cultural influences.

The Malcolm X costume designer said, "We continue to push the artistic elements. We were exploring the deep ocean and looked at different inspirations in Mayan culture, as well as the Aztecs. We were [also] upgrading and reinventing Wakanda," says Carter. "I remember Ryan saying every time he sees a new Batman movie, the suit is different. He felt that we could upgrade some of the things in Wakanda. So the Dora Milaje warriors got new armor, and Nakia [Lupita Nyong'o] got a new suit."

Carter further delved into the intricate details of the underwater characters' designs, particularly Namor's right-hand man Attuma, played by Alex Livinalli, who wears a fierce headdress that comes from the sea. "We went to the historians and showed them some of the things were looking at. We learned about Spondylus shells and jade," Carter says of the elements used for the costume.

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is currently running in the theatres.