Black Panther 2: Here's Everything We Know About the Return to Wakanda

Marvel confirmed that the upcoming sequel will officially be titled Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.

Ryan Coogler, who shared a heartfelt tribute to Boseman after the actor’s passing, will return as the director and writer along with Black Panther co-writer, Joe Robert Cole. Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige is also producing the film.

While the new leader of Wakanda is still unknown, Feige previously expressed interest in giving more screen time to Letitia Wright, who plays Shuri, and Danai Gurira, who portrays Okoye. “I think Shuri’s astounding, and you’ll see much more of her in our universe,” Feige told Entertainment Weekly in March 2018. “Okoye, I think I’d watch three action films just Okoye. I’m not saying we’re doing that, but I’m saying that we’re intrigued by them.”

There’s also been some speculation that Michael B. Jordan – who played Erik Stevens, aka Killmonger, in the original – will play some part, despite his onscreen death. In May 2018, Metro reported: “They’re still yet to decide if Michael B Jordan will return in some capacity but if he doesn’t it’s likely [Childish] Gambino may play some kind of villain.” That’s especially interesting, considering Donald Glover (who uses Childish Gambino as his musical stage name) already made his Marvel Cinematic Universe debut in Spider-Man: Homecoming as Aaron Davis. In April, Jordan admitted that it’s unlikely he’ll return for the second film, but he’s also not ruling it out entirely. “Never say never,” he said on SiriusXM’s Jess Cagle Show. “I can’t predict the future.”

There aren’t many details about the second installment’s plot, but we do know that it will be part of Marvel’s Phase Four. However, it has been confirmed that Boseman’s character will not be recast. “Chadwick Boseman was an immensely talented actor and an inspirational individual who affected all of our lives professionally and personally,” Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige said during Disney’s Investor Day event. “His portrayal of T’Challa the Black Panther is iconic and transcends iteration of the character in any other medium from Marvel’s past.” Feige added: “To honour the legacy that Chad helped us build through his portrayal of the king of Wakanda, we want to continue to explore the world of Wakanda and all of the rich and varied characters introduced in the first film.”

During an interview with Entertainment Tonight on July 7, Angela Bassett shared that she wasn’t sure where the plot was headed. “There have been about five incarnations of the script and I hear another one’s coming,” the actress said. “Of course, with our dear king going on to glory, a lot of things had to be shifted and changed. So, thankfully, Ryan and Joe Robert Cole, [are] just such masterful storytellers that they’ve found a way into this world and hopefully it will be satisfying, I think, for the fans and it will be honourable of our Chad. We love our king.”

In a teaser for all the upcoming MCU movies in Phase Four, it was revealed that the film would release on July 8, 2022. However, on Oct. 18, Disney pushed back the release date to Nov. 11, 2022. Production is currently underway in Atlanta.