Day 2 of Disney's D23 celebration is underway at Anaheim, and the Marvel Studios panel started out strong with some new footage from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. New details about the plot of the film were also unveiled.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is perhaps one of Marvel's most anticipated upcoming films. Since the untimely passing of Chadwick Boseman, many have wondered how the franchise can continue after such a titanic loss. While speculation has continued on who will be the new Black Panther, with some wondering if Michael B. Jordan's Killmonger may return, the panel did not reveal this information. Instead, it featured touching tributes to Boseman and an explanation into how his death will impact the plot of the film.
According to IGN, which has an insider watching the panel unfold, a multitude of new details were revealed during the panel. Firstly, it appears that Shuri (Letitia Wright) will be the main focus of the movie, and her role will be sizeable. The plot centers on Wakanda facing crisis as many compete to take their vibranium resources while the country is at its lowest point following the death of King T'Challa.
Unfortunately for Wakanda, Namor's underwater kingdom of Tlalocan begins an invasion of the kingdom. New footage of the film showed Namor (Tenoch Huerta) facing off against Winston Duke's M'baku. Clips showing off Tlalocan warrior Attuma's might were also highlighted, and a scene featuring the Dora Milaje engaging in battle with their vibranium weaponry was also shown. A "UN meeting-type" scene was also shown, wherein Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett) is featured warning about the perils of vibranium should it fall into the wrong hands. Letitia Wright ended the panel by stating, "I’m excited for you to go to the cinema and be proud of what we’ve done. And for my brother to be smiling down on us."
The film appears to be continuing the original's thematic connection to colonialism. Here, interestingly, we see two advanced empires led by men and women of color as they face strife against one another. Though Namor is the antagonist of this particular feature, he is a very complex character in the comics, and it's possible that he may undergo growth as the film comes to an end - when he sees how his actions have affected the Wakandans and sees how they fight for their own people just as he is fighting for his.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever hits theaters November 11, 2022.
Source: IGN