After the death of Chadwick Boseman, the MCU had some pretty big boots to fill as it looked to find a new bearer of the Black Panther crown. With the Black Panther 2 release date just around the corner, many fans think they’ve figured out who will take on the mantle, but the stars of the MCU Phase 4 movie have hinted it may not be that simple.
While the role of T’Challa will not be recast for the Marvel movie sequel, it does appear that one of the MCU characters from Wakanda is going to step up and become the new titular hero. By the looks of it in the trailer, Black Panther will be a woman for the upcoming superhero movie, and fans have been debating who that will be exactly.
In an interview with Elle, stars Lupita Nyong’o and Danai Gurira addressed the speculation from fans, and hinted those on the outside of the Marvel machine haven’t quite cracked the mystery yet.
“We love the speculation,” Nyong’o said. “They’re not getting all of it right!” adds Gurira. “No. They haven’t guessed it at all,” Nyong’o concluded.
Anyone involved in an MCU movie is trained in the dark arts of keeping secrets really, really well, so it’s not surprising that the stars of Black Panther are keeping audiences on their toes with this one.
So, who is the new Black Panther? Shuri, T’Challa’s sister, seems like the obvious pick, but both Nakia (Nyong’o) and Okoye (Gurira) could well be the ones in the suit.
There’s not long left until we will know for sure, but in the meantime, check out our guide to Marvel’s Phase 5 to see what’s next. Or, browse our list of the best Marvel villains.