Who will be the next Black Panther? That is the question many Marvel fans are eagerly waiting to hear the response to ever since we learned about the tragic passing of Chadwick Boseman back in 2020. Since then, there has been much speculation about who will take over the beloved superhero mantle. Whilst we all wait for the release of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (coming in November 2022), Pop In A Box has been able to narrow it down to a few likely candidates…
When Black Panther was released in 2018, the film exploded onto screens to both critical and audience acclaim. The 18th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) received 7 nominations at the 91st Academy Awards and became the first superhero film to be nominated for the coveted Best Picture category. A large amount of praise was directed to the performance of the late Chadwick Boseman, who was the first one to be the Black Panther in the MCU.
Who Will The Next Black Panther Be In Wakanda Forever?
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The anticipation for the upcoming Marvel film is extremely high. The first official teaser trailer was released at Marvel Studios’ San Diego Comic-Con 2022. The trailer offers viewers a glimpse of newcomers to the Marvel Cinematic Universe like Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne), aka Ironheart, Aneka (Michaela Coel) and Namor (Tenoch Huerta).
Due to the tragic passing of Chadwick Boseman, Marvel boss Kevin Feige confirmed that he had no plans of recasting the role. Instead, the title can be passed down and taken on by a new character. We see that he has stayed true to his words, as there appears to be mourning rituals and a funeral for T’Challa. We can also see Shuri (Letitia Wright) holding T’Challa’s helmet. However, in the last few moments in the trailer, a Black Panther appears to emerge on screen.
As you can imagine, everyone is now wondering who will be the next Black Panther? Let’s take a look…
Is Shuri The New Black Panther?
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One of the most common suggestions people think is set up for the role is Shuri. We believe that she could most definitely be a contender for donning the vibranium suit. In the comics, Shuri does actually become Black Panther when her brother T’Challa is in a coma. She did an extremely good job and protected Wakanda well, eventually convincing the Panther Goddess that she’s worthy of the mantle. Unfortunately, this didn’t go on for too long, as she would only have the crown until T’Challa’s return. Obviously, the circumstances are a bit different, but it does make a tonne of sense.
As seen in the trailer, we can see her being heavily featured throughout, suggesting that she may be proving her worth to Wakanda so that she could take on the mantle.
Is M’Baku The New Black Panther?
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Another guess as to who will take the crown is M’Baku (portrayed by Winston Duke). He was originally rivals with T’Challa in the first film and was the leader of the Jabari tribe. These remained isolated from the rest of the Wakandan nation by choice and even challenged T’Challa for the crown. This means that it would be plausible to challenge others for the title.
Although the trailer reveals that the person is more leaner than M’Baku at first glance, we shouldn’t rule him out. As we haven’t been given anything other than a short clip to who it might be, the film will likely want to throw a curveball into the mix. M’Baku is not an obvious choice as we haven’t seen much character development from him (yet), but potentially he will take on a leadership role throughout the upcoming film.
Is Okoye The New Black Panther?
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Another candidate that might be a surprise to us all but should definitely be included in the race is Okoye (portrayed by Danai Gurira). A fearless leader of the Dora Milaje and one of the kings guard’s greatest warriors, the character has become a fan favourite amongst the Marvel community.
Not only does she have all the characteristics to make a legendary Black Panther, but she’s also one of the most skilled warriors in Wakanda and has shown that she would do anything to protect her nation. She even fought her love interest in the first film for Wakanda.
Is Nakia The New Black Panther?
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A strong contender in the race for the crown is Nakia; she was one of T’Challa’s most trusted allies and his girlfriend throughout the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).
In the comics on the other hand, Nakia becomes increasingly frustrated with T’Challa and turns into a dangerous supervillain known as Malice. If indeed Nakia took the crown, this would be a storyline that extends beyond the comics.
Nakia may respond to T’Challa’s death by taking vengeance on the nation by challenging whoever wants the crown. Could we see Nakia betray her own people?
Is Killmonger The New Black Panther?
Marvel Studios
An unlikely candidate to take the throne is Michael B. Jordan’s Killmonger. So far, it is unknown whether Killmonger will be returning, as he was previously killed off by T’Challa in the first film. However, due to the new saga being titled ‘The Multiverse Saga’, it does leave the theory open as we could either see him rise from the dead or arrive from another universe. We also got to see an alternative universe of Michael B. Jordan’s villain in the animated series What If…?.
As seen in the trailer, the new suit has gold detailing, similar to what his previous suit looked like.
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