Black Panther was released in February 2018. It was a huge success, largely because Chadwick Boseman was a real movie star who carried the film on his back. Boseman passed away in 2020 after a lengthy battle with cancer. Marvel and director Ryan Coogler were tasked with picking up the pieces of the franchise for the sequel, Wakanda Forever. Marvel promised the fans and the Boseman family that they would not recast T’Challa, but that the franchise would simply get a new Black Panther. The rest of the cast returned: Lupita Nyong’o, Angela Bassett, Letitia Wright, Danai Gurira and Winston Duke are all there, as is Martin Freeman. This weekend at Comic-Con, Coogler and the cast premiered the first trailer for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. The music is “No Woman No Cry” and then Kendrick Lamar’s “Alright.” That alone made me cry.
“I am Queen of the most powerful nation in the world, and my entire family is gone…” G–damn it, Angela, you didn’t have to go that hard. Most of the speculation about WF is “who is the new Black Panther?” For months/years now, people have believed that Letitia Wright’s Shuri – T’Challa’s sister – would be and should be the new Black Panther. Then Wright’s availability for filming was touch-and-go because of an on-set injury and because of her reported anti-vaccine views. Considering Wright did eventually travel to Atlanta to complete filming and considering her presence at Comic Con in San Diego, I tend to believe that she probably did get vaccinated just for her job. Still, I feel like Shuri isn’t featured as heavily in the trailer? Part of me hopes that at the end of the day, Lupita’s Nakia is the new Black Panther. I would love that, come on.
Poster & screencaps courtesy of Marvel. Additional photos courtesy of Getty.
It was a beautifully done trailer. I cried too. I don’t care who the next Black Panther is, I’m invested in all of the characters and Wakanda. Plus, Namor and the Atlantians are bad ass. I love that they decided to mirror the Mayan culture.
I kind of love the idea of it being Lupita’s Nakia. What can I say, I want to see all nations move away from hereditary monarchy, even the fictional ones!
I also read someone suggest the power could pass to a team of Black Panthers, several characters, so “Wakanda” is the hero (as in its people are). Interesting thought.
As much as this production was reportedly a mess behind the scenes (for some very understandable reasons, and some…less so) this trailer is gorgeous. I’m rooting for Ryan Cooglar, big time!
It absolutely should be Nakia. Her vision for the country is the one T’Challa ended up adopting. But now that I think about it, being King and being Black Panther don’t have to go together, do they? If that’s the case, then Nakia should be President of Wakanda, and either/both Okoye or M’Baku (both formidable and honorable warriors) should be Black Panther.
I definitely got a little teary eyed at the trailer. I’m not a huge Marvel fan, but I love Black Panther and this looks just as good. Can’t wait for November!
I did too. I’m not sure what this is about, but Angela Bassett’s character said she lost her entire family. Now I’m worried that Zuri dies as well. Although I don’t think they would give away such a huge spoiler.
I only watched in thumbnail size but was it Shuri getting married? If she left to another kingdom (Atlantis?!), maybe she would phrase it that way. But when shit goes down in Wakanda she’ll be back!
This has got me so excited! It’s the only Marvel I’ve ever seen and I loved it. Gosh it must have been hard for them to do it without Chadwick.
That struck me too but I wondered if it was a flashback to the time during the Snap. Both T’Challa and Shuri were dusted by Thanos so the Queen would have spent 5 years without her kids and the country would have to choose a new leader.
One theory is that Angela delivers that line after the blip and both Black Panther and Shuri disappeared. They both were brought back once the Avengers defeated Thanos.
@sas
That’s a funeral scene. Some cultures wear white for funerals and prefer to make it a celebration of life instead of mourning death.
@snuffles Oh noooo T’Challa’s funeral, I didn’t even think. Tearing up now!!
Just realised my incorrect spelling, I could have sworn I wrote Shuri.
Anyway, the 5 years after Thanos dusted half the world, could have been what she was referring to.
I’m super excited for this movie. I got goosebumps whilst watching the trailer.
The trailer was great. I also nerded out and hit pause on the short moment of seeing someone crouch down in the BP uniform. It looks like a woman and my guess is it will be Michaela Coel.
I think it’s a woman as well bc it’s small.
Michaela Coel would be amazing as BP. I was hoping she was when I first heard that she was attached to the film.
Wow that trailer is so compeling i will definitley be watching it in the cinema
I cried as well and I am here for Nakia as Black Panther.
That song gave me chills. A very good trailer.
Nakia as the new BP would be perfect imo. Her role is the only one not really defined and she has hand to hand combat experience. I know Shuri is BP for a bit in the comics but in the MCU I think she’d work best where she is— in her lab, making tech for everyone/Wakanda. I’m also pretty sure she’s going to take up the mentor role for Riri aka Ironheart since MCU Tony Stark is dead.
Also idk if Marvel will want Letitia to be the face of anything after her anti-vaxx comments.
If Marvel let Letitia be the face of that particular franchise, I think they’d lose a lot of fans. I mean, replacing Chadwick Boseman (who is beloved) with someone who seems to not give a d*** about people with fragile immune systems like him with her anti-vax views. It would be awful if they did that (and I don’t think they will fwiw).
Whoever in post picked that music did the perfect job. No woman no cry to Kendrick’s everything gon’b alright and everything those songs represent was just *chefs kiss* perfection.
And Angela basset can deliver a line. Her one line about family sent me into tears.
It looks fantastic!
I would LOVE Nakia to be the new Black Panther, but God bless Lupita if that happens because you know how much the “fan” boys hate women.
A theory I saw was they would resurrect Killmonger, finding more magic purple flower or synthesizing it in the lab, and then make him BP in an effort for him to atone.
I have heard similar, that T’Challa buried him at sea as he requested and the Atlantans found him and resurrected him.
I read somewhere that Michael B Jordan was filming Creed and was unavailable for WF. Also, Daniel Kaluuya was unavailable due to filming Nope
I cannot wait for this!!! It looks fantastic. My only concern is how close to opening day we will be able to get tickets. I want to see it now!!!!!
I’m still sad that they are burying T’Challa. So many storylines are left open, I was excited for a potential Storm-Black Panther wedding, seeing that on the big screen. I’m also struggling with why introduce a multiverse but not a new T’Challa 😭. However, I’m going to see this. I’m doing this for the culture and I’m excited to see Ironheart. As always I’m happy to see Black culture on the big screen 🥰
I don’t think the T’Challa character is gone forever.
Right when Chadwick died, it was understandable that people would say that the character would die with him, because he did such a *good* job in that role.
But I’ve been hearing more and more talk about how it would be a shame to lose the T’Challa role forever, so I think that after some length of time, T’Challa could come back with the multiverse.
It reminds me of Heath Ledger and the Joker. After he died after doing such a good job, people were saying that nobody could ever play the role again. Of course that wasn’t true, some time just needed to pass before people were ready again.
I love the way the trailer featured the powerful women of the series. That is one thing (of a few) that Black Panther as a film franchise has head and shoulders above other Marvel properties – multiple well written, prominent female characters who are defined by more than their relationship to the main dude and are actually interesting in their own right.
I loved how women-centric the trailer was. I hope the movie carries the theme forward.
The first movie did more for women in the MCU than Captain Marvel did, IMO.
Chadwick Boseman is/was/will forever be an amazing actor, but he did not carry this film on his back; to say such a thing is an insult to his memory and to the talent of his colleagues.
In the comics, Shuri steps in as Black Panther when T’Challa is incapacitated.
That was a wildly incorrect statement. Black Panther had some issues, but to make it sound like it only succeeded because of Chadwick is a long, long stretch and disingenuous to the strength and popularity of the story and the ensemble cast.
I’m upset that people really believe that because Boseman was the face of Black Panther that he should be the only T’Challa as Black Panther and that’s just wrong. T’Challa is an important superhero character. All 39 years of my Black life I’ve seen 5-6 different white actors for Batman 3-4 different white actors for Spiderman 3 different white actors for Superman and 2 different white actors for Wonderwoman. The list just goes on and on.
I agree (with the statement above that Chadwick did not carry this film on his back). Boseman was incredible (both a great movie star and actor) and he will be missed, but everything and everyone in Black Panther was amazing.
I’d love it for multiple Wakandians to become a group of Black Panthers, staying anonymous, carrying on T’Challa’s work.
I thought this trailer was just outstanding. I wasn’t a huge fan of the first Black Panther (the cultural impact it had is wonderful, but the pacing of the storyline with Andy Serkis bogged the whole thing down for me and made it just a middle-tier MCU movie for me), but I’m so looking forward to this.
I love the fact that the new person to wear the suit is almost certainly a woman. I’d love to see it be Lupita, personally!
Hopefully this movie can sell itself like everything that Ryan Coogler does. Now that his obligation for this is over I sincerely hope that he does Octavia Butler’s science fiction next. Just for de culture.
Which one? I truly dont want to see anything but Parable of the Sower. It would actually make for a great 3-6 episode run on a streaming service.
That would be a good start. Excellent idea.
When T’Challa is not around, Shuri becomes BP and seeing bother her and Riri Williams (Ironheart) in in the trailer just added to all the emotions I feel.
Angela Bassett is just….*chef’s kiss*.
The first time I read Black Panther I was 4 in 1989. It was an ancient Kirby book. I loved it then and love it now and was the only superhero besides Storm my family actively supported me taking an interest in (I am the literal black sheep nerd in my family lol). So this journey has been 35 years in the making for me and I cried during the first one–I know I’m going to cry during this one.
I need to stop watching this trailer every time I come across it. I can’t cry anymore. This is the movie that’s getting me back into hanging with a large crowd of people. My fingers are crossed for the Black Panther to be Lupita, I’ll love this for her.
I don’t think Black Panther is going to be a huge player in this movie. I don’t think the mantle is going to be passed on in the traditional sense. I think in times of conflict they’re going to choose whoever is loyal to Wakanda and available in that moment. Especially since they’ve opened the country to the rest of the world many of the major players could be busy or needed elsewhere. This episode seems to be about Wakanda itself and all it’s people not the one individual superhero.
Also, I wouldn’t be surprised if they wrote Leticia Wright out of the franchise.
I have absolutely no problem with the franchise recasting Shuri, who is an excellent character that film fans really embraced. I wouldn’t even have an issue with Letitia continuing, if she was willing to say that she has educated herself about vaccines, the origins of Covid-19, and the importance of following your healthcare provider’s recommendations, and better understands how potentially harmful her comments were.
I’ve watched this trailer so many times. I cried. It’s beautiful. Not only in conveying our collective grief, but also in showing us Namor and the Atlanteans. I’m stoked for this movie.
I was talking to some friends and we were resigned to Shuri being the new BP on Saturday night. By Sunday, though, we began to speculate that it really is Nakia. Shuri’s journey could be something else altogether. Becoming the Queen and leader Wakanda needs. Having faith in herself that she can do it. Let’s be honest, she was only 16 in Black Panther. Let’s say this takes place a few years later, she’s still relatively young and naive. But Nakia…who’s been out in the world, who pushed T’Challa to use Wakanda’s resources to help the world…yeah, I’m leaning towards Nakia to carry the mantle.
Also, Angela should be nominated for her performance. She ate those scenes up.
ETA: Namor…Tenoch…hot. So damn hot. I’m loving the Mayan-Atlantis connection.
In the poster, Namur looks like Luke Evans, which would have been _amazing._ https://i.ytimg.com/vi/43ydk0lgDc8/maxresdefault.jpg
Damn, this trailer is awesome.
Looks amazing and I also vote for Lupita becoming the next Black Panther.
I think it’s good that Marvel didn’t *immediately* recast T’Challa, and will have a movie celebrating Boseman’s verdion of the character. It’s quite respectful, and gives everyone closure. I imagine they likely promised all of that to Chadwick’s family, since the film release is so so close his passing.
But I do think it will eventually be recast, and that they didn’t promise to let the character disappear forever. T’Challa is a wildly impactful character, especially for a Black actor in a superhero movie. If Christopher Reeves’ Superman could be recast, there’s no justification for losing T’Challa to history. I can’t imagine anyone who truly valued what Chadwick brought to that character would want it to be gone forever.
I think it would be totally badass if the new Black Panther was Angela Basset.