Black Panther: Wakanda Forever General Discussion and Speculation Thread

[Chesterfield]

I know this is a movie and there are more important things in life but damn, as someone who's had BP be part of my family's reading literature for 51 years...this feels like an utter betrayal.

 

[Lencho01]

Going off of this, I assume T'Challa will just be off screen on some mission.

 

[Hannibal75]

Dumb decision. Imagine if Warner did the same thing with Dumbledore after Richard Harris' death. Harry Potter fans would bring out the pitchforks.

 

[Chesterfield]

...And every forbidden curse.

 

[BobJM]

Going off of this, I assume T'Challa will just be off screen on some mission.

Away on a mission seems somewhat hokey to me, no? Idk, we as the audience know that he’s not coming home so it would just seem to cut any dramatic tension.

Instead, I think the storytellers should address T’Challa’s passing head-on & focus the narrative on the legacy of the Black Panther & the King’s impact on each character (keep in mind, before the Investor’s Day announcements, I was very much in the recast camp).

This story will have shades of the first film, now T’Challa instead of T’Chaka, but I think Coogler & co. could use those similarities to strengthen the story rather than detract.

 

[Gamma Goliath]

They wouldn't have made that decision if it was harry potter himself. Hopefully this is just a one and done situation

 

[Zarex]

Thank goodness Feige and Coogler are in charge of the franchise and wisely decided against casting replacement black actor in the title role. Its waaaaaaaay too soon to replace Boseman and having Wright's Shuri call New Panther "Brother" had the potential to be the cringiest moment in the history of film.

This ain't Dumbledore, Joker or Bond. Its replacing a brilliant actor who portrayed an iconic character multiple times in starring roles in some of the most successful films in cinematic history, all within an ongoing connected universe. This was ABSOLUTELY the right decision.

I say give Shuri the crown, put Okoye in the cat suit and have Azari growing in Nakia's womb.

And this doesn't mean we won't see T'Challa ever again. In the comics he's The King of the Dead, and Bast may resurrect him further along in the series. But not yet.

 

[Lencho01]

Away on a mission seems somewhat hokey to me, no? Idk, we as the audience know that he’s not coming home so it would just seem to cut any dramatic tension.

Instead, I think the storytellers should address T’Challa’s passing head-on & focus the narrative on the legacy of the Black Panther & the King’s impact on each character (keep in mind, before the Investor’s Day announcements, I was very much in the recast camp).

This story will have shades of the first film, now T’Challa instead of T’Chaka, but I think Coogler & co. could use those similarities to strengthen the story rather than detract.

Well, it's the "world of Wakanda" part that pretty much tells me they might be dealing with things outside of T'Challa even if there may be a connection to him somehow. Kinda like the comic "World of Wakanda."

I just don't see them doing a movie about the character being dead and his impact on the others. Not exactly the type of thing you want to followup a $1 billion film with.

 

[Spider-Fan]

Well, it's the "world of Wakanda" part that pretty much tells me they might be dealing with things outside of T'Challa even if there may be a connection to him somehow. Kinda like the comic "World of Wakanda."

I just don't see them doing a movie about the character being dead and his impact on the others. Not exactly the type of thing you want to followup a $1 billion film with.

No it isn't ideal, but it is an elephant in the room. If you leave T'Challa out there in the aether somewhere, then you are keeping hope he is coming back at some point. If the role is not to be recast, then you know that isn't happening. Kind of needs addressed

 

[BobJM]

Well, it's the "world of Wakanda" part that pretty much tells me they might be dealing with things outside of T'Challa even if there may be a connection to him somehow. Kinda like the comic "World of Wakanda."

I just don't see them doing a movie about the character being dead and his impact on the others. Not exactly the type of thing you want to followup a $1 billion film with.

That would just be the emotional arc/anchor for the big budget action.

The death of a king in Wakanda leaves a power vacuum that I’m sure comes with action, etc. And maybe not even just internal strife but outside interference from Latveria and Atlantis.

 

[BobJM]

Thank goodness Feige and Coogler are in charge of the franchise and wisely decided against casting replacement black actor in the title role. Its waaaaaaaay too soon to replace Boseman and having Wright's Shuri call New Panther "Brother" had the potential to be the cringiest moment in the history of film.

This ain't Dumbledore, Joker or Bond. Its replacing a brilliant actor who portrayed an iconic character multiple times in starring roles in some of the most successful films in cinematic history, all within an ongoing connected universe. This was ABSOLUTELY the right decision.

I say give Shuri the crown, put Okoye in the cat suit and have Azari growing in Nakia's womb.

And this doesn't mean we won't see T'Challa ever again. In the comics he's The King of the Dead, and Bast may resurrect him further along in the series. But not yet.

That’s an interesting concept I hadn’t thought of—good call.

Still think it should be Nakia as Queen/BP (didn’t the Queen even suggest as much in the first film?), with Okoye leading the Dora Milaje and Shuri maintaining her status as princess & tech support/Q. Nakia’s the one who really challenged T’Challa to push beyond the old ways and bring Wakanda into the modern world. She should continue that mission in his absence.

 

[Hannibal75]

Shuri is a scientist. She is not a leader or a warrior. Making her Queen and Black Panther makes no sense and there is no way that she won't be challenged by M'Baku or some other clan leader.

 

[Spider-Fan]

Shuri is a scientist. She is not a leader or a warrior. Making her Queen and Black Panther makes no sense and there is no way that she won't be challenged by M'Baku or some other clan leader.

They can make that the narrative though. How does Shuri show she is a worthy successor to her brother when she has skills that are not seen as leadership virtues by a warrior culture?

Ultimately, she cannot be T'Challa. But maybe she can carry on the legacy her own way.

Pretty much has to be the movie at this point.

 

[Chesterfield]

Shuri is a scientist. She is not a leader or a warrior. Making her Queen and Black Panther makes no sense and there is no way that she won't be challenged by M'Baku or some other clan leader.

This is my issue with how they handled T'Challa in the first place. They stripped him of many of his attributes and gave them to other characters. Making Shuri Queen and Panther on top of the intelligence they took from him to give her is just a huge gob of spit blasted in the faces of fans. This whole decision to not recast is a debacle with a capital D.

 

[Spider-Fan]

Black Panther,' 'Captain Marvel' Sequels Get New Release Dates - Variety

Disney has again overhauled its theatrical release calendar, shifting around dates for “Black Panther 2,” “Captain Marvel 2,” “Thor: Love and Thunder” and numerous other titles.

The studio announced some of these changes at Thursday’s investor day, a four-hour-long presentation that charted Disney’s streaming and theatrical plans for the foreseeable future.

From Marvel, “Thor: Love and Thunder” will open on May 6, 2022, instead of Feb. 11. That delay bumps the “Black Panther” sequel — originally set for May 6, 2022 — to July 8, 2022. In turn, “Captain Marvel 2” was pushed off that July date and was moved to Nov. 11, 2022.

 

[Chris B]

I get their reasoning, but I also subscribe to the notion that no actor is bigger than their character.

 

[Havok83]

Any chance that this may take place in the 5 year gap between the Avengers film and focus on Wakanda as it recovers in the wake of the Snap? That would explain why T'Challa isnt there. Okoye, Nakia and M'Baku can step forward as the leads. This film can serve as an origin story for the next chapter in BP and introduce someone that might take over the mantle in future films. Maybe someone already did in that time and we will be introduced to him here

 

[Lencho01]

No it isn't ideal, but it is an elephant in the room. If you leave T'Challa out there in the aether somewhere, then you are keeping hope he is coming back at some point. If the role is not to be recast, then you know that isn't happening. Kind of needs addressed

That would just be the emotional arc/anchor for the big budget action.

The death of a king in Wakanda leaves a power vacuum that I’m sure comes with action, etc. And maybe not even just internal strife but outside interference from Latveria and Atlantis.

I'm looking at it from the standpoint that if we're dealing with the "world of Wakanda," that's plenty of possible stories that can be explored outside of T'Challa. I mean, it's a whole fantasy country and other characters; a pretty good opportunity for more Afrofuturism stuff too. As some have said, it doesn't exactly have to take place after the events of Endgame now that Marvel is totally fine with doing "period pieces."

As far as addressing Boseman's death, I simply feel it would be a mistake to end the use of T'Challa's character. Maybe not recast him in this sequel, but it's gonna happen at some point. Time will tell if it's in this continuity or whatever reboot/different continuity Marvel decides to go with. This is just me feeling weird about a character who just recently became more known to the general public and giving that mantle over to someone else since for many old fans and new, BP = T'Challa.

 

[Dboi]

Honestly, it's hard for me to be excited about the rest of the MCU after this huge blow to the gut. What a way to kill my enthusiasm.

 

[Gamma Goliath]

My hope is that Disney sees how much fandom actually would want tchalla after having a movie without tchalla. And maybe because they needed the schedule to stay on track and allow the audience more time to move past his tragic passing. So that the recast isn't quite so fresh feeling. Which if they were to recast it'd be announced next year before the summer. So I can see them giving the audience the next couple years, plus the time it takes to get the third one in early production as a cushion to any recasting of the character.

 

[Kev4000]

Shuri is a scientist. She is not a leader or a warrior. Making her Queen and Black Panther makes no sense and there is no way that she won't be challenged by M'Baku or some other clan leader.

I woudnt mind if Black Panther II gets political thriller elements, leaded by Shuri. We saw this in Winter Soldiers final too. Widow carried the political storyline in the end, while Cap handles the action job.

For the GA (black) audience you need to push at least one male character again I guess. M'Baku makes sense.

 

[Chesterfield]

Any chance that this may take place in the 5 year gap between the Avengers film and focus on Wakanda as it recovers in the wake of the Snap? That would explain why T'Challa isnt there. Okoye, Nakia and M'Baku can step forward as the leads. This film can serve as an origin story for the next chapter in BP and introduce someone that might take over the mantle in future films. Maybe someone already did in that time and we will be introduced to him here

Then that person would have shown up with T'Challa, Okoye and Shuri when they emerged from the portal.

 

[Chesterfield]

I woudnt mind if Black Panther II gets political thriller elements, leaded by Shuri. We saw this in Winter Soldiers final too. Widow carried the political storyline in the end, while Cap handles the action job.

For the GA (black) audience you need to push at least one male character again I guess. M'Baku makes sense.

Shuri can't carry a film. Letitia Wright can't even carry a TV show. As for political thriller elements, that's what the first movie should have had more of. Honestly, which ever media outlet T'Challa finds himself in, he's constantly getting screwed over.

 

[Kev4000]

Shuri can't carry a film. Letitia Wright can't even carry a TV show. As for political thriller elements, that's what the first movie should have had more of. Honestly, which ever media outlet T'Challa finds himself in, he's constantly getting screwed over.

Sorry to be unclear. I mean Shuri should take care of the political thriller elements in addition with Angela Bessett. Okoye and Nakia + MBaku do the action parts in the movie so it would be more an ensemble.

 

[Mike Murdock]

Away on a mission seems somewhat hokey to me, no? Idk, we as the audience know that he’s not coming home so it would just seem to cut any dramatic tension.

Instead, I think the storytellers should address T’Challa’s passing head-on & focus the narrative on the legacy of the Black Panther & the King’s impact on each character (keep in mind, before the Investor’s Day announcements, I was very much in the recast camp).

This story will have shades of the first film, now T’Challa instead of T’Chaka, but I think Coogler & co. could use those similarities to strengthen the story rather than detract.

I just think having T'Challa die so soon after T'Chaka would be a distraction to the plot that's unnecessary all things considered.