Black Panther: Wakanda Foreveris the third and final Marvel Studios movie release of 2022, and it brings a very bittersweet ending to the MCU’s theatrical offerings for the year. Following the triumphant return of Doctor Strange this month, and Thor’s action-packed fourth movie in July, theBlack Panthersequel arrives in November and will be the follow-up to 2018’sBlack Panther, but without that movie’s leading star. Following the unexpected death ofChadwick Bosemanin 2020,Black Panther: Wakanda Foreverhas become an entirely different movie from that planned, but actressLetitia Wrighthas explained that Boseman was honored every step of the way.
Chadwick Boseman brought the character of T’Challa, the Black Panther, to screens in 2016 when he made his debut inCaptain America: Civil War. Two years later, the character received his own solo outing, a film that would give Marvel an unheard of Best Picture nod at the Academy Awards, and become one of the most praised entries in the MCU at that point. Now, the story of Black Panther must continue without Boseman, but every effort has been made to ensure his legacy lives on. Wright toldVariety:
“We honored him by committing ourselves to this story that he started, the legacy he started with this franchise. And we just committed every day to working hard no matter what circumstances we faced. And we faced a lot of circumstances! A lot of difficult situations, but we came together as a team and we poured everything into this movie, so I’m excited for you to see it.”
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Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’sPlot Remains a Mystery
While there are plenty of rumors about what may happen inBlack Panther: Wakanda Forever, there has been little official word from Marvel Studios about how the film will play out in the grander MCU plan. Many of Marvel’s movies and shows are currently leading into the multiverse, but it is unlikely thatBlack Panther 2will be one of these, at least in a direct sense.
The movie will deal with the loss of Boseman and, therefore his character as part of the movie, and with T’Challa not being recast, that means we will see someone else taking on the Black Panther mantle. Aside from this, the biggest hinted plot point revolves around the introduction ofMarvel’s version of Atlantis and the arrival of Namor the Sub-Mariner to the MCU. Namor’s inclusion in the movie has been one of the most consistent whispers about the movie over the last several months. With leaked set images suggesting the character’s appearance, it seems certain Namor will be the main antagonist of the film.
When it comes to the future of the MCU, the arrival of Namor could be a big step toward many things heading our way in upcoming projects, with Namor’s comic book iteration having had dealings with X-Men, Fantastic Four andSecret Wars, all of which have been hinted at on the horizon. We will still have to wait a few years to see all of this come to screens, but this November could bring just a hint of it all whenBlack Panther: Wakanda Foreverpremieres exclusively in theaters.
