The fourth phase of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s theatrical release schedule finally ends with ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever‘.
While Wakanda Forever primarily focused on paying tribute to Chadwick Boseman’s legacy and telling Wakanda’s narrative following T’Challa’s demise, it did plant the seeds for a few MCU plots in the future.
It unveiled a new Black Panther and established Namor’s longer plotline. It also made references to the themes of upcoming works in the MCU. Of course, if it ended here, it wouldn’t be Wakanda Forever. So what does the future hold for Wakanda and the new Black Panther?
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Who Is The New Black Panther?
Marvel Studios pledged not to recast King T’Challa following the untimely death of Chadwick Boseman. What then would have been Wakanda’s fate? Even after T’Challa’s death in the MCU, someone must step up and take over the role of the guardian of Wakanda.
Princess Shuri (Letitia Wright) taking over as the new Black Panther in Wakanda Forever is not exactly a surprise. After all, the hero’s mantle has been passed down through the royal family for centuries.
It seems fitting that T’Challa’s younger sister would be committed to defending Wakanda given that he is passing away. Although the resolution is apparent, Wakanda Forever excels at depicting Shuri’s path from grieving her brother to accepting his legacy.
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What Will Happen To Wakanda In The Future?
Within the wider Marvel Cinematic Universe, Wakanda is slated to have its own mini-universe of tales. Nate Moore, the producer of Wakanda Forever, claims that Marvel is currently working on a number of series set in the Wakandan universe. According to Moore, “Beyond what happens with this film, there are more opportunities to go back to Wakanda… There are no shortage of ideas, let’s put it that way.”
The end credits of the movies showed snippets of T’Challa and Naikia’s son Touissant. Toussaint has never appeared before in the comics, but his appearance is still highly intriguing for the future of Black Panther. The Black Panther’s legacy can continue through his son, rather than having Boseman replaced.
Did ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ Hint At Any Future MCU Projects?
Wakanda Forever gives RiRi Williams (Dominque Thorne) a soft debut as a bright, young MIT student who creates a whole Iron Man costume in her free time while attending college. Williams’ own Disney+ series, Ironheart, will premiere in the fall of 2023, but she is dragged into the Wakandan battle for the sequel. Before the Thunderbolts are formally founded, perhaps Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia-Louis Dreyfus) will appear in the series. A “World of Wakanda” television series is also in the works, and it may feature characters like the Midnight Angels’ Okoye (Danai Gurira), Aneka (Michaela Coel), and Ayo (Florence Kasumba).
When Can We Expect ‘Black Panther 3’?
Wakanda Forever should more than please fans for the time being. Because we’re looking at a year as far away as 2026 before we could expect any more of Wakanda.
According to Coogler, who told Variety, “I love making movies, but to quote a character in our movie, I gave this everything. I’m at that place where I think I’ve got this press tour in me and then I’ve got to sit down and reflect. Probably cry a lot, because I’ve been holding that back. And then from there, figure out whatever’s next.”
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