The first official promotional photographs for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever show Okoye and Shuri. Danai Gurira and Letitia Wright will reprise their roles in the next MCU sequel. Plot specifics for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, directed by Ryan Coogler, are scarce at the moment, but it’s intended to pay respect to Chadwick Boseman and T’Challa following the actor’s unexpected death in 2020.
Disney’s marketing efforts are currently centred on Thor: Love and Thunder. Taika Waititi and Chris Hemsworth’s next movie together will continue the God of Thunder’s storyline in the franchise following the Infinity Saga. Beyond that, the MCU will turn its attention to Wakanda in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. The core cast of 2018’s critically successful Black Panther film is likely to return for the sequel, though Boseman’s absence will undoubtedly be felt. Nonetheless, everyone engaged in the blockbuster is dedicated to making a fulfilling film that also honours the actor and his Marvel hero.
As the release date of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever approaches, promotional materials begin to arrive. This includes some Sprite-related marketing photos (via Black Panther 2 News), which give the first look at Okoye and Shuri. The Dora Milaje commander is dressed in a detailed war costume, while the Wakandan princess is dressed in a purple long-sleeved top with a high collar. Take a look at the photographs below:
Marvel Studios is keeping narrative details of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever under wraps, but set photographs and videos from the production have given fans a sense of what to anticipate. To begin, it appears that Okoye and Shuri will be off on their own journey, as Gurira and Wright were both sighted filming on site at MIT. This means that Dominique Thorne’s Riri Williams, aka Ironheart, will be integrated into the plot of the Black Panther sequel in this manner. Although it’s unclear what brings them all together, it’s probable that it’s all part of the outreach programme that T’Challa delegated to his younger sister following Wakanda’s decision to open out to the rest of the world.
With Boseman gone, speculation over who would take over the Black Panther identity in the MCU rages on. For what it’s worth, it’s feasible that Black Panther: Wakanda Forever will finally put an end to this. Instead, it appears that the film is focusing more on Okoye and Shuri as they step up in T’Challa’s absence. So, while there is no clear successor to the superhero mantle at this time, the film will focus on numerous people and Wakanda as a whole, which makes sense given the film’s title.