Since the passing of the actor who played Black Panther, Chadwick Boseman, the sequel to 2018’s “Black Panther” had seemed somewhat uncertain. The production of the film has been kept tightly under wraps with only rumours to help fill in the gaps. Seriously, the production of this film has been as secretive as the nation of Wakanda itself.
That being said, there’s been some rather interesting developments of late within the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) super-sleuth community. News regarding not only the film’s plot and main antagonists but also the actors potentially playing them. There’s also been some juicy info with regards to who could claim T’Challa’s throne in the film!
Grab your vibranium-powered suits and strike a pose because we’re breaking down everything you need to know about Marvel’s upcoming film, “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”.
🚨🚨 First Art for #Shuri & #Okoye in #BlackPantherWakandaForever #BlackPanther #WakandaForever #BlackPanther2 #MCU #Marvel #MarvelStudios pic.twitter.com/7KqdDtuMWA
— MCU Facility (@MCU_Facility) July 2, 2022
Namor and The Kingdom of Atlantis
Teased in a line by Okoye in “Avengers: Endgame”, it seems that MCU fans are right after all. The next big threat to the hyper-advanced state of Wakanda will indeed be the aquatic nation of Atlantis. This was confirmed by plot details in Production Weekly reported by CBR. Production Weekly is a premium data-service that provides official notes and reports on films. The notes state that: “Both Wakanda and Atlantis are hidden civilisations with advanced technology and increased militaristic abilities that decided to separate themselves from the rest of the world for their own safety, and in a way, out of fear.”
It goes on to disucss about similarities between Wakanda and Atlantis and how the two kingdoms have a shared history. Long before the Avengers or T’Challa, they’ve known of each other’s existence. It’s also been confirmed that “these two once-hidden nations clash with each other” in the film. Based on the fact that the true kingdom of Wakanda has only recently been opened to the world at the end of “Black Panther”, we can assume that this clash isn’t a reference to an event in the past but is one we’ll be seeing unfolding in “Wakanda Forever”.
🚨 #BlackPantherWakandaForever Official Merch ! First Look for #Attuma ! #MCU #Marvel #MarvelStudios #BlackPanther #WakandaForever #Atlantis pic.twitter.com/MWFK8x15lW
— MCU Facility (@MCU_Facility) July 2, 2022
We now also know what the Atlanteans will look like, thanks to Twitter user @MCU_Facility. The user leaked an image of one of its natives, Attuma, sporting an axe and a hammerhead-shark-shaped helmet in an official merch poster. Much like their comic book counterparts, the Atlanteans in the MCU will also have blue skin. So there you have it folks, we know that the Atlantis will be playing a major role in the film as the kingdom goes to war with Wakanda. Now, it’s time to meet its ruler.
The ruler of Atlantis is a half-human, half-Atlantean hybrid called Namor the Submariner. For a while, there’s been rumours swirling about the net that Tenoch Huerta, who played Rafael in Netflix’s “Narcos: Mexico”, will be taking up the role in the film.
🚨🤩😱 And finally… #Namor !!! #BlackPantherWakandaForever merch confirm the blurry leak for #Namor ? #BlackPanther #WakandaForever #BlackPanther2 #MCU #Marvel #MarvelStudios @TenochHuerta pic.twitter.com/u8R6Dw6EpG
— MCU Facility (@MCU_Facility) July 2, 2022
This has been confirmed in a leak of an official merch poster, tweeted by user @MCU_Facility, showing a version of Namor being depicted by Tenoch Huerta. In reaction to this leak, the actor himself decided to tweet a leak of his own.
"Se filtran imágenes de Tenoch… " pic.twitter.com/pBeflmuGkg
— Tenoch Huerta Mejía (@TenochHuerta) July 4, 2022
In the tweet, we see the actor post a picture of Mermaid Man from the “SpongeBob SquarePants” series with the caption that translates as “Tenoch images are leaked…”. A hilarious joke for sure but also a confirmation of the actor’s involvement in the film. For all intents and purposes, Tenoch Huerta is officially playing the role of Namor.
For those not in the comic-book know, Namor appearing in “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” isn’t just a cool cameo. No, this could possibly mark the end of the Afro-futuristic kingdom as we know it. In the comics, Namor is the King of Atlantis and one of Marvel’s most ruthless anti-heroes, and by that we mean he has no qualms about killing innocents to meet his goals.
In Marvel’s landmark event “Avengers v. X-Men”, we see Namor go to war against Wakanda after being imbued with a portion of the Phoenix Force. The two nations have always had tensions but this time…he takes it too far. He proceeds to call upon the power of the sea to sink Wakanda beneath the ocean waves. Killing countless of Wakandans and forever scarring the kingdom. There’s a strong chance we’ll see the MCU’s version Namor reenact this atrocity for the big screen. Imagine seeing the once proud capital city of Wakanda, Birnin Zana being washed away in a tide of water and blood. Namor has superhuman strength and speed, is capable of breathing underwater and wields the Trident of Neptune, a weapon that allows him the ability to control water and therefore the Seven Seas.
If there was ever a time Wakanda needed a leader, it is now. So who exactly will lead them through this time or war? Let’s find out!
The Identity of the New Black Panther
With the tragic passing of Boseman (Rest in Power), Disney has decided not to recast the role of T’Challa in future films. Which means that the title of Black Panther, and the throne of Wakanda, would go to someone else within the nation. There are two potential contenders for the role. The first is Winston Duke’s M’Baku, who challenged T’Challa in “Black Panther”, only to save his life later on. After Boseman’s death, it was confirmed that Duke would be playing a much larger role in the film. Could that role possibly be the Black Panther? It seems plausible.
That being said, we believe the clearer choice for the role would be Letitia Wright’s Shuri, the sister of T’Challa. Barring her losing a challenge to another, she would technically be next in line for the throne. Furthermore, she knows the Black Panther suit better than anyone else in the MCU. She fought during the Wakandan Civil War in “Black Panther, and at the Battle of Wakanda and at the Avengers Compound against the forces of Thanos. Needless to say, she’s war-ready. The one thing that solidifies Shuri as the perfect choice in our minds is the fact that in the comics, she has already taken up the role as Black Panther. Honestly, at this point, who else could it possibly be? Rest assured, we’ll be sure to keep you updated on any new developments regarding the identity of the new Black Panther.
Will Doctor Doom Appear in the Film?
The latest rumour currently making the rounds would be the appearance of the Fantastic Four villain, Doctor Doom in the upcoming film. Some of you are probably scratching your heads right now. How is a villain of the Fantastic Four related to the war between Atlantis and Wakanda? Well according to a now deleted post by Bleeding Cool reported by The Direct, Doctor Doom is set to play a “very minor” role in the film in inciting the war between Wakanda and Atlantis. There’s also been rumours that the production team is currently working on Doom’s costume for the film.
Right, so is there any precedence in Marvel comics that shows Doom interferring in the affairs of Wakanda and Atlantis? Well, the answer is yes. You see, Doctor Doom isn’t just a mad scientist and sorcerer, he’s also the ruler of Latveria. Yet another technologically advanced nation in the Marvel universe. In Marvel’s “Civil War” event, we see Doctor Doom propose an alliance between Wakanda and Latveria, only to be rejected by T’Challa. In “Doomwar”, he attempted to steal Wakanda’s precious Vibranium for his own use. His country has also had relations with Atlantis. After failing to establish relations with Wakanda after “Civil War”, he attempted an alliance with Atlantis as well by taking in Atlantean refugees into Latveria.
It would make sense in the film that Doom would manipulate Atlantis into going to war with Wakanda so that he could obtain Vibranium. As to whether or not this rumour is true is another matter. The fact that Bleeding Cool deleted their post is curious to say the least. Was it a faulty post, or were they getting to close to the truth? Conspiracy time!
Shuri will be the new black panther https://t.co/7ptIoTYML3 pic.twitter.com/toiGpz96v8
— Kwena ➐ (@TheRealKwena) July 4, 2022
So what do you guys think of Tenoch Huerta playing Namor in the film? Do you think Shuri would make a good Black Panther? And finally, will Doctor Doom make an appearance in the film? Be sure to let us know in a comment and tune in for more news on “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”!
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