Warning: spoilers ahead for Black Panther! Read ahead at your own risk!
There's a lot to love about Ryan Coogler's Black Panther, but one of the most widely-praised elements of the recent MCU solo movie is the villainous portrayal of Erik Killmonger by Michael B. Jordan. Though the film ultimately ends with Killmonger's death following his battle with T'Challa (Chadwick Boseman), recent rumors have suggested that Marvel Studios may intend to bring the character back for the sequel, along with the introduction of another character portrayed by Solo: A Star Wars Story's Donald Glover. Now those rumors seem even more plausible, as Jordan has opened up at the MTV Movie & TV Awards and admitted that he wants to come back. The Creed star explained:
I mean, I'm a fan, as you said, of Marvel, of comic books, everybody knows that. So, I mean if there was ever an opportunity for me to come back and like join this universe and work with like Joe Russo, Kevin Feige, Victoria and everybody over there at Marvel, re-team with Ryan --you know, of course I would.
Michael B. Jordan has established his nerd credibility since the debut of Black Panther back in February. He clearly enjoyed the process of working with the folks over at Marvel, and now he's told MTV he would want to return if an opportunity were to present itself. This obviously isn't actual confirmation that he will, but it shows that there's a willingness for him to do so.
Of course, the fact that Michael B. Jordan wants to return, as well as the fact that he's rumored to return, leaves us wondering how this could all come together. The character memorably perishes in his battle in Wakanda, but that doesn't inherently mean that he has to be gone forever. Killmonger could come back in a flashback sequence, he could find himself magically resurrected (this is a comic book universe, after all), or he could even appear in the afterlife among T'Challa's ancestors. There are plenty of options on the table, and Jordan's willingness to return could play a key role in helping to bring him back to the fold.
It's easy to understand why some folks would feel so excited to see Erik Killmonger return for Black Panther 2. As Michael B. Jordan noted elsewhere in his interview at the MTV Movie & TV Awards, one of the critical elements to the Killmonger character involved creating a villain with a specific point of view that audiences could get behind. He wasn't an arch baddie who wanted to create a portal in the sky, and many Black Panther fans seemingly responded to the idea that Killmonger could arguably be considered the hero of his own story, despite the atrocities he wanted to commit in the film.
For now, we still have no idea if Michael B. Jordan will return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe for another round as Erik Killmonger in a Black Panther sequel -- or any other MCU outing, for that matter. Until we learn more, you can catch Avengers: Infinity War in theaters right now, and make sure to watch out for Ant-Man and The Wasp when the upcoming Marvel solo movie debuts on the big screen on July 6.
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