Black Panther: Wakanda Forever has topped $831 million at the box office as of this writing, and it’s heading to Disney Plus soon. The film advanced the story of Wakanda, delivering the MCU’s new Black Panther in the wake of Chadwick Boseman’s tragic death. But fans are already wondering whether a Black Panther 3 is coming. And now, out of nowhere, Wakanda Forever star Letitia Wright teases that a sequel might already be in the works.
A word of warning: Wakanda Forever spoilers will follow below.
Wright played Shuri in Black Panther and Avengers movies, so she’s more than familiar with the universe. She becomes Wakanda’s new defender, taking up the Black Panther role after losing both T’Challa and Ramonda (Angela Bassett). But she won’t be the Queen of Wakanda, considering how Black Panther 2 ended.
By the end of the movie, Shuri is finally able to accept her brother’s passing, getting closure for T’Challa’s death. Not only that, but she found out that T’Challa and Nakia (Lupita Nyong’o) had a son, also named T’Challa. That’s how Marvel recast T’Challa, without actually recasting him.
Meanwhile, Wakanda found an ally in Namor (Tenoch Huerta), as it’s been dealing with increased pressure from other countries to share its vibranium.
That’s barely scratching the surface of what Wakanda Forever is all about. But the point is that a sequel is definitely warranted. There are many stories left to tell both when it comes to the Black Panther heroes protecting Wakanda and the role of the Black Panther in the larger MCU.
What we know about Black Panther 3
Considering the massive success of Black Panther and Wakanda Forever, Marvel should pursue another sequel, especially if it manages to release it before Kang Dynasty and Secret Wars. After all, the new Black Panther should join the Avengers in fighting Kang (Jonathan Majors).
But Marvel isn’t ready to say anything on the matter. Wright addressed Variety’s questions about Black Panther 3 ahead of the Golden Globes gala earlier this week. Angela Bassett did win a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture for Wakanda Forever at the event.
Wright indicated that Black Panther 3 is in the works while simultaneously making it sound like she’s just speculating:
I think it’s already in the works. You know we just had a terrific two years of bringing it out and just everyone coming together to support it. We just need a little bit of a break. We need to regroup and Ryan [Coogler] needs to get back into the lab. It’s gonna take a while, but really excited for you guys to see that.
Earlier this year, Coogler told Variety that he felt like he needed a break after the emotional process of making Wakanda Forever. He said he’ll see what comes after that, which implies he’s considering a return to the franchise for Black Panther 3. But the director/writer never offered a definitive answer.
Separately, Kevin Feige revealed he had conversations with Coogler about Black Panther 3, but those are still early talks. Marvel’s boss did say that doing another sequel without Coogler “wouldn’t be the preference.”
