Marvel’s Doctor Script: INFINITY WAR — Part 1

It’s no big secret that I was disappointed by Marvel’s AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR’s version of Wakanda and the Wakandans. A defense I’ve heard is that the film simply did not have time to portray Wakanda or the Wakandans in any more detail than it did. So, I set out to prove that hypothesis demonstrably false. By rewriting the Wakanda scenes. Below is the first of a two(?)-part series wherein I fix Infinity Wars.

[Note: Iron-Man does NOT have nanobot/nanite-armor.]
[Another note: Asgard doesn’t get chumped like that at the top of the film, but that’s another can of space worms.]
[Last note: Medium doesn’t allow me to set my margins to screenplay.]

INFINITY WAR HAPPENS.

INT. AVENGERS ANNEX — DAY
Bruce shakes his head. Wanda deflates.

CAP
I know somebody.

Tribal music intensifies.

CUT TO:
EXT. WAKANDAN MOUNTAIN RANGE — NIGHT — FLYOVER
Clawing up at us, the imposing crags of the Jabari Mountains cut a vantablack serated edge into the moonlit night.

Beyond their peaks, however: the splendor of WAKANDA. Lush plains and rainforest, rivers and a massive lake, cities aglow with life and sophisticated vibranium technology.

And then we’re above a a city like you’ve never seen before. The architecture spans centuries of design, but none of those classical European facades. The modern elements make Tokyo seem quaint and provincial. This is Birnan Zana — the Golden City — capitol of Wakanda.

Maglev monorails race through glowing rings around a downtown bustling with nightlife.

The tower of the Royal Palace stands tall and illuminated, a golden spire, breath-taking even in El Dorado.

CUT TO:
INT. THE ROYAL PALACE — HALLWAY — CONTINOUS
GENERAL OKOYE of the Dora Milaje takes several long steps to catch up with KING T’CHALLA. She gives a curt salute, crossing her arms over her chest.

OKOYE
(in Xhosa)
My King.

The King returns the salute.

T’CHALLA
(in Xhosa)
General.

OKOYE
(in hushed Xhosa)
This is not good timing.

T’CHALLA
(in Xhosa)
No, it’s not.

OKOYE
(in Xhosa)
The situation with the Mining Tribe…

T’CHALLA
(in Xhosa)
Will be exacerbated, I know.

The Dora Milaje standing guard salute before pulling open the doors to the…

CUT TO:
INT. THE ROYAL PALACE — THRONE ROOM — CONTINUOUS
A severe throne sits, empty, in front of a wall of glass looking out upon the Golden City.

A tall man, the RIVER TRIBE ELDER sits in his usual council chair. A komoyo-hologram hovers in place of another, the MINING TRIBE MATRIARCH. There are two Dora Milaje already present when Okoye and T’Challa enter.

RIVER TRIBE ELDER
(in Xhosa)
King T’Challa, what is happening here?

MINING TRIBE MATRIARCH
(in Xhosa)
This is most unusual…

Okoye makes eye contact with the elders, sucks her teeth. Silence.

T’Challa strides to his throne, turns, and sits.

T’CHALLA
(in Xhosa)
My sincere apologies for the hour. Time, however, may not be on our side. The schedule for bringing the rest of the world up to speed has changed.

RIVER TRIBE ELDER
(in Xhosa)
What does this mean?

MINING TRIBE MATRIARCH
(in Xhosa)
The miners are no less divided on this issue now than during the day, King T’Challa. Why call us here in the middle of the night?

T’CHALLA
(in Xhosa)
Wakanda may no longer have a choice.

OKOYE
Wakanda always has a choice.

T’CHALLA
Then, Bast willing, let us make the right decision.

CUT TO:
BACK TO YOUR REGULARLY SCHEDULED INFINITY WAR
Until…

CUT TO:
EXT. THE AVENGERS’ QUINJET — OVER AFRICAN RAINFOREST — DAY
The Avengers’ battered Quinjet sinks below thin, scattered clouds. Dense rainforest stretches below, forested mountains closing fast.

CUT TO:
INT. THE AVENGERS’ QUINJET — OVER AFRICAN RAINFOREST — CONTINUOUS
Nat sits in the pilot’s seat, Cap standing behind her. In the back of the craft, Wanda cradles an unconscious Vision in her lap, beside a few crates of gear, and Rhodey’s War Machine.

Rhodey and Sam sit behind Nat, while Bruce peers out the cockpit window.

BRUCE
They look real. I mean, they look really, really real.

NAT
It’s some sort of active camouflage, a holographic projection.

CAP
That’s right.

RHODEY
The size of a mountain?

CAP
The size of several mountains.

BRUCE
That’s… incredible. It’s all powered by Vibranium?

CAP
It is.

SAM
You’re sure about this?

The green mountain range rushes to meet the Quinjet.

NAT
Steve?

RHODEY
Stow your carry-on items, and return your seats to the fully upright position.

Bruce takes his seat, and fumbles with the harness.

Cap tosses a reassuring smile back at Sam and Rhodey.

A PROXIMITY ALARM begins to wail.

CAP
Trust me.

You can count the leaves on the mkangazi trees through the Quinjet’s canopy. In the moment before impact, the trees dissolve, a two dimensional projection. An electrostatic CRACKLING surrounds the aircraft. And then, the Avengers are in…

EXT. WAKANDA — DAY — CONTINUOUS
The Avengers’ Quinjet soars over open Savanna.

SAM
That was…

RHODEY
Yeah…

The radio crackles with static.

NAT
Incoming transmission…

RADIO
S.H.I.E.L.D. aircraft, you have entered the airspace of Wakanda.

RHODEY
You sure this is gonna be a warm welcome, Captain?

Cap grabs an ear piece.

CAP
(to Nat)
Patch me in.
(to earpiece)
This is Captain Steve Rogers, of…

He frowns. Sam shrugs.

CAP
Well, it’s Steve Rogers, I have an audience with King T’Challa…

Nat shoots Cap a look. It doesn’t escape Bruce.

Two bogeys briefly appear on the radar screen before flickering, and vanishing.

NAT
I know you saw that, too.

WANDA
Are we sure about this?

SAM
There!

Through the view ports, two insect-like craft race toward the jet.

BRUCE
Those are from Earth?

CAP
Those are from Wakanda.

The DRAGON FLYERS perform high-G maneuvers to change trajectory and fall into an escort position along either side of the Avengers’ Quinjet.

RADIO
Captain Rogers. You are expected. An updated flight plan is being sent to your navigation systems presently. For your own safety, please do not deviate from this course.

CAP
Acknowledged.

RADIO
And Captain Rogers… welcome to Wakanda.

CUT TO:
EXT. THE AVENGERS’ QUINJET — OVER WAKANDA — DAY
The aircraft pass over the Wakandan landscape, savanna, rivers, forests.
The towers of the Golden City, Birnan Zana materialize on the horizon.
Sam unbuckles his harness, and joins Cap and Nat at the front of the craft. Peering out at Wakanda.

CUT TO:
INT. THE AVENGERS’ QUINJET — OVER WAKANDA — CONTINUOUS
Sam is lost in the sight.

SAM
It’s… beautiful.

Rhodey and Bruce follow suit, to get a better look.

BRUCE
I’ve been to other planets, but, this…

RHODEY
Is something else entirely.

They approach a sprawling campus. The architecture blends probably 400 years worth of changing Wakandan style, right up to the latest in nano-fabbed carbon-fibre/vibranium mesh. This is the Wakandan Technical Institute. This is Princess Shuri’s alma mater.

CUT TO:
EXT. WAKANDAN TECHNICAL INSTITUTE — QUAD
The Quinjet settles into VTOL descent above the Quad. Jetwash flattens the lemon grass as the jet touches down.

SHIELD’s state of the art aircraft has nothing on the two Wakandan Dragon Flyers hovering safely above.

CUT TO:
INT. THE AVENGERS’ QUINJET — CONTINUOUS
Nat keys shutdown sequence.

WANDA
They don’t have landing strips, here?

NAT
This is new to me, too.

CAP
Saddle up, folks. Keeping the king waiting would be a diplomatic blunder.

WANDA
Another diplomatic blunder.

Wanda and Sam help Vision to his feet, as Nat and Cap head to the ramp at the back of the Quinjet.

BRUCE
What do I do? Do I bow?

RHODEY
He’s the Sovereign King of Wakanda, isn’t he?

BRUCE
Right.

The ramp lowers.

CUT TO:
EXT. THE AVENGERS JET — CONTINUOUS
A royal guard of eight Dora Milaje stand at attention, statuesque, armed with Wakandan Sonic Spears.

Cap leads the rest of the team down the ramp.

The door to the facility opens, and King T’Challa strides out, flanked by General Okoye and her Lieutenant. He comes to stop in front of Cap and the others.

Rhodey elbows Bruce, who then bows deeply.

One of the Dora Milaje shoots a look toward Okoye.

DORA MILAJE
(in Xhosa)
What is he doing?

If Okoye can say, “Colonizers. These guys,” with her eyes, she does. She catches Rhodey’s eye. Understands.

OKOYE
(in Xhosa)
He is being pranked.

A smile tugs at T’Challa’s lips.

T’CHALLA
(english)
That is not something we do here, Doctor Banner.

CAP
King T’Challa.

Cap extends his hand. T’Challa shakes it, with mild dap, but without the Wakandan salute. That’s not for Cap.

BRUCE
It’s not?
(to Rhodey)
Why’d you…?

T’CHALLA
Captain Rogers, there is much to discuss.

T’Challa turns, his royal entourage and Okoye following, Cap on their heels.
Wanda and Natasha exchange “why not?” glances, and help Vision after them.

BRUCE
C’mon, man. That’s not cool.

RHODEY
But it’s funny.

BRUCE
I’ve been in space for two years. Now I just feel stupid.

SAM
Yeah, well, if half of what Cap says is true, you might want to get used to that, here.

Rhodey and Sam follow after the others.

BRUCE
What’s that supposed to mean?

He jogs to catch up.

PRINCESS SHURI WILL RETURN IN MARVEL’S DOCTOR SCRIPT: INFINITY WAR Part 2