T’Challa’s mother Ramonda and sister Shuri take their fighting stances in a new Black Panther: Wakanda Forever image. The Black Panther sequel will be the final film in Phase Four of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with the repercussions of T’Challa’s death looming over the technologically advanced African country of Wakanda. After the passing of Black Panther star Chadwick Boseman in 2020, Marvel Studios is also having Boseman’s T’Challa die in the MCU rather than replace him.
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This, in turn, leaves the moniker of Black Panther up for grabs for a new character to become Wakanda's guardian, with fans already have ideas of who the next superhero will be based on marketing for the movie. In addition to a new Black Panther, Wakanda Forever will introduce Tenoch Huerta as Namor the Sub-Mariner, who has a long, complicated relationship with T’Challa in the Marvel comics. While audiences continue to debate who will become the new Black Panther, a new glimpse at the film is teasing how those left in the wake of T'Challa's death are ready to step up and protect their home.
With just over a month remaining until it hits theaters, a new Black Panther: Wakanda Forever image has arrived from Empire, . The image sees Letitia Wright and Angela Bassett prepare to fight with spears in hand as they stand together side-by-side, evoking the already established theme of overcoming insurmountable odds seen in the trailer. Check out the new image below:
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In the new Black Panther: Wakanda Forever image, Wright and Bassett also convey the fighting spirit that the titular nation is known for, with their characters ready to fight while going through the hardest time in their lives yet. While fans have speculated the potential successor of Black Panther, marketing products and general hints point to T’Challa’s younger sister Shuri, played by Wright. With her brother gone and mother struggling to keep Wakanda together, Shuri seems to be a central piece to Wakanda’s legacy and makes sense as T’Challa’s successor. As Black Panther still has a larger part to play in The Multiverse Saga, whoever does succeed Boseman’s T’Challa will have big shoes to fill as their character and in real-life.
Marvel made a thoughtful move retiring Boseman’s T’Challa by writing his death into the story, and appears to once again draw inspiration from the original Marvel comics by having Shuri pick up the Black Panther mantle. Although product releases may have spoiled the Black Panther successor, some have expressed division over her taking over the mantle, given Wright's behind-the-scenes controversies during the film's production. However, should Marvel Studios be completely misleading viewers into believing Shuri is the next Black Panther, it will be interesting to see who becomes the next incarnation of the MCU superhero when Black Panther: Wakanda Forever hits theaters on November 11.