'Black Panther' couldn't have come at a better time, says cast

Chadwick Boseman at the premiere of "Black Panther" in Los Angeles. Photo: Reuters

The royal purple carpet at the recent world premiere of Black Panther in Hollywood was awash in gem tones and African-inspired prints as those privileged to catch the film early adhered to Disney’s “royal attire” dress code.

The lavish event staged on Hollywood Boulevard outside the Dolby Theatre, where the film bowed, took its cues from the movie’s hero – King T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman), ruler of the fictional African country of Wakanda, who also masquerades as the tech-forward superhero Black Panther.