BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER OFFICIAL TRAILER DROPS - 5 BIGGEST QUESTIONS
Wakanda is heading for war...
Earlier this week, Marvel Studios released the newest trailer for the upcoming BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER.
The trailer shows off a mix of the Marvel action we have come to love, as well as the excitement of returning to Wakanda and teasing new adversaries to fight.
So, with two trailers now released online, let's rundown the five biggest questions we have about BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER.
Boseman was a pioneer in Hollywood and an undeniable contributing factor in the incredible success of the first Black Panther movie in 2018. But since his passing, speculation has swirled as to who would take over the Black Panther mantle.
Marvel Studios overlord Kevin Feige (LOKI), during the Disney Investor Day in the same year as Boseman's passing, said, "We’re not going to have a CG Chadwick and we’re not recasting T’Challa."
So now our attention turns to potential suitors to don the suit and become the hero of Wakanda.
If this new trailer is anything to go by, don't expect to have an answer right away. Judging how Angela Bassett (FOX's 9-1-1) hints that Wakanda has "lost its protector", it suggests that other kingdoms consider Wakanda now to be weakened and ripe for the taking.
After a blink and you'll miss it hint in the last teaser, we were treated to a far greater and more obvious acknowledgement that it will in fact be T'Challa's sister, Shuri, played by Letitia Wright (DEATH ON THE NILE), who will become the new Black Panther.
The suit featured in the final shot of the new trailer shows off a brilliant brand new design with fresh armour plating and a slightly different colour scheme, but is also worn by someone of a different frame and stature, resembling someone like Shuri. This would also make sense seeing as in Marvel's Dark Reign comic book series, Shuri assumes the title of Black Panther when T'Challa is severely wounded in battle.
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| Credit: Marvel Comics |
It goes without saying that this is by no means confirmed, and Marvel are playing very coy with this information, but if the new official trailer is anything to go by, along with the fact that Wright has been given top billing in the cast, then the odds are currently in favour of Shuri being named the successor.
Meet Namor, the Sub-Mariner. The King of Atlantis. Well, at least he is in the comics.
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| Credit: Marvel Comics |
Given some potential aesthetic similarities between Warner Bros. and the DCEU's adaptation of AQUAMAN, it makes sense that the good folks over at Marvel may want to alter some aspects of this character. In this incarnation, Namor and the Kingdom of Talokan, formally Atlantis, resemble ancient Aztec and Mayan mythology.
Tenoch Huerta (THE FOREVER PURGE) stars as Namor, and this new trailer gives us a good idea of just how integral he will be to the story, along with some potentially sinister motivations. With Wakanda now viewed as a target by other kingdoms, it looks as if Namor will lead his army of fellow Talokans to seize Wakanda, possibly reigniting previous tensions between the kingdoms in the process.
There are plenty of shots of Namor looking badass in action too, including a nifty sneak peek at his infamous winged feet. But the winged feet symbolise more than just an additional advantage in battle. These are his mutations, and following on from Huerta confirming with Empire Magazine that Namor will in fact be a mutant within the MCU, the universe is now officially taking gradual steps to introduce mutants into this universe. And we all know what that could mean. *Cue X-Men '97 guitar riff*
But will Namor actually be the villain?
The trailers seemingly indicate that he will at least be some form of antagonist and pose a considerable threat to the safety of Wakanda. However, seeing as writer/director Ryan Coogler (BLACK PANTHER) has stressed the importance of grief being the overriding theme of this film, as well as Namor being a strong candidate to feature in, and possibly lead, future MCU projects, then perhaps don't expect him to remain a foe.
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| Credit: Comic Book Resources |
Almost certainly not.
Even though we are in the throes of the Multiverse Saga, and BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER is closing out Phase Four, do not expect any further exploration of the Multiverse.
WAKANDA FOREVER will likely be a largely contained story focusing on the importance of loss and grief and how we persevere. There will likely be no appearances of fan favourites from other universes, such as Patrick Stewart in "DOCTOR STRANGE IN THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS" or Tobey Maguire in "SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME."
Cramming this film with set-up for future projects and multiverse adventures would most likely be a disservice to the film honouring Chadwick Boseman's memory.
If, like some eagle-eyed viewers spotted in this trailer, you saw what looks like an earlier Iron Man suit, then you may be curious as to who is flying around in the tin can.
The answer is Riri Williams, who will be played by Dominique Thorne (JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH). Williams is better known as Ironheart, and using the materials and technology available in Wakanda, she develops her own suit of armour.
Although she doesn't typically hail from Wakanda, judging from the footage we've seen so far, Williams has developed a close bond with Shuri, which would explain her link to Wakanda.
Also, given the fact that Thorne will reprise the role again in the upcoming IRONHEART standalone series debuting in 2023 on Disney+, it seems reasonably certain that her character will make a big splash this November.
Probably.
One constant message the cast and crew have reiterated throughout the press tour for this film so far is how Ryan Coogler encouraged everyone to pour their grief from losing Chadwick Boseman into the film.
The fact that a real-life tragedy hangs over this film, and how the loss of both Boseman and T'Challa in our respective worlds, has left a hole in society that will never be filled.
So don't expect Coogler to go easy on the audience. Bring your tissues. You're going to need them.
We'll find out the definitive answers to these questions when BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER is released in UK cinemas on November 11th.
Tickets are on sale now!
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