The new trailer for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever reveals a lot about the upcoming MCU sequel, including the extreme likelihood of Shuri being the next Black Panther. Since the death of Chadwick Boseman in 2020, a major talking point surrounding further Black Panther appearances and movies in the MCU has been over who will portray the titular hero. While there was some desire for Black Panther to be recast in order to continue the character's legacy, Marvel Studios and director Ryan Coogler opted not to find another actor for the role, out of respect for Boseman and his portrayal of T'Challa.
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When the sequel to Black Panther was announced, Coogler initially stated that the film would focus on the fictional country of Wakanda as a whole as opposed to being a story centered on the Black Panther character. However, as the release date of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever has moved closer, it is clear that the movie will feature a replacement for T'Challa's Black Panther, with the mantle being passed down to someone else. While the movie will likely still be more of an ensemble-focused piece, centering on the supporting characters who inhabit Wakanda, it makes sense for Marvel to have someone take up the Black Panther mantle for the MCU's future.
The latest trailer for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever all but confirms one of the most popular fan theories for the identity of the next Black Panther: Shuri. The trailer's final shot features the new Black Panther in a striking gold and black suit reminiscent of Killmonger's costume from the first movie. Yet it's much more feminine in physique, which seemingly confirms Shuri is the next Black Panther. The shot is accompanied by a line from Angela Basset's Queen Ramonda: "Show them who we are." This dialogue can be taken in the context of the Wakanda-centric story of the sequel, meaning to show the world what the nation stands for. However, it can apply to Shuri, pushing her to show the world the continuation of the Black Panther through T'Challa's, Ramonda's, and T'Chaka's bloodline. Additionally, the new poster for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever shows Shuri front and center, with the new Black Panther suit from the trailer looming behind her again hinting at her taking over the mantle. The suit features white adornments around the eyes and the forehead, identical to the ones on Shuri's face on her original character poster for Black Panther.
Why Shuri As The New Black Panther Makes Sense For Wakanda Forever
The main reason why Shuri continuing as the MCU's Black Panther makes sense is because of the comics, where Shuri took over from her brother as the Black Panther during Marvel's Dark Reign saga. Therefore, many fans assumed that this would also be the case for the film adaptations, with Shuri expected to eventually take over from T'Challa.
However, as T'Challa was only introduced in 2016, making his debut in Captain America: Civil War, it was expected that Shuri would not take over for a while, to allow her brother to grow like other MCU characters such as Captain America and Iron Man. The untimely death of Chadwick Boseman means that now is the right time for Shuri to take over as Black Panther, as both an adaptation of the comics and a continuation of Boseman and T'Challa's legacy in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.