The sequel to Marvel’s Black Panther (2018), after a four year break between movies, will release globally on November 11th. Marvel dropped the first trailer at San Diego Comic-Con in July, where the president of Marvel Studios, Kevin Feige, announced that Black Panther: Wakanda Forever will be the final feature film in MCU’s Phase 4. This November release takes the place of The Marvels, which will release in July 2023.
Familiar Faces, New Nemeses, & Anticipated Allies
Ryan Coogler, director of the first movie, is bringing Marvel’s Black Panther to our screens once again. Joining him are returning cast members Letitia Wright, Lupita Nyong’o, Angela Bassett, Winston Duke, Danai Gurira, Florence Kusumba, and Martin Freeman, reprising their roles.
While the nation of Wakanda is mourning the loss of their king—after the tragic loss of actor Chadwick Boseman in August 2020–they will face new conflicts and gain allies. Dominique Thorne will be entering the MCU as RiRi Williams, also known as Ironheart, and Tenoch Huerta will be bringing Namor the Submariner to life. Joining Namor as a warrior from the same civilization, Alex Livinalli will be portraying the character of Attuma.
Courtesy of Marvel Studios
“Intertwined History”: Wakanda & Atlantis
Production Weekly (as referenced on CBR) reveals some of the plot details: “Both Wakanda and Atlantis are hidden civilizations with advanced technology and increased militaristic abilities that decided to separate themselves from the rest of the world for their own safety, and in a way, out of fear… And yet their fears escalate even further when these two once-hidden nations clash with each other. Wakanda and Atlantis have a shockingly intertwined history. Wakanda is the only county in the world with access to vibranium. However, rumors of its power spread throughout the world, and Namor’s human father was sent searching for this rare material in Antartica…”
In a departure from Namor’s Atlantean roots from the comics, this film chose to have him originate from the underwater city of Tlālōcān (Talokan) as depicted in earlier Teotihuacan culture. His character has significant influence from the Aztec and Mayan cultures for a few reasons: Aztecs ruled Central America and Mayans bordered the Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean Sea, and the Atlantic Ocean, and they won’t confuse Namor with the DCEU character of “Aquaman.” The Tlālōcān influence on Namor’s character and origin makes sense geographically and culturally.
Marvel’s Future
While we will not find out who will take up the mantle of Black Panther until the film releases in November, the trailer as well as the comics suggest that Shuri will become the new Black Panther. Several new characters will be make their debuts, further setting up plots for future MCU productions.
An Atlanta-based actress, model, writer, and screenwriter, Miranda started her career on stage in high school. She figured out that acting and writing were two passions of hers that allowed her to constructively express her emotions through character and narrative. In 2022, she packed up her cat and everything she owned to move across the US to Atlanta to further pursue opportunities in the entertainment industry. She is currently working on a novel and the screenplay adaptation for the novel, and enjoys designing graphics.
