We know basically nothing about what is to come in the next phase of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. We know a bit about what movies we might see, even a couple that we know are coming, but what stories any of them could be telling is pretty much up in the air. This makes every rumor seem plausible to one degree or another, but we know that many of them turn out to be untrue and such is the case with one rumor related to Black Panther 2.
The fact of the matter is that technically speaking, Black Panther 2 isn't even a movie that Marvel Studios has officially confirmed just yet, although Kevin Feige hasn't been silent about the studio's interest in such a film and it's been reported that Ryan Coogler reportedly signed on to write and direct the sequel. One interesting rumor that has come out about the movie is that it might actually include the return of Michael B. Jordan's Killmonger, an interesting, though not impossible, decision considering the character very clearly died in the first movie.
However, Kevin Feige has not quite definitively shot down the rumor, claiming there is no truth to it whatsoever. It turns out there's a very simple reason why there are no plans to bring back Killmonger, there are no plans for the movie at all, as Ryan Coogler is only now starting to consider the project. According to Feige...
The honest answer to that is that is pure rumor and speculation, because Mr. Coogler is just only in recent weeks sitting down at his keyboard and beginning to outline the movie. It’s early, so nothing is set yet in any way that far, because Mr. Coogler is sitting down and will share it with Nate Moore and myself in coming weeks.
To be fair, it's not impossible that Michael B. Jordan might come back in Black Panther 2, but any claim that such a decision has been made can't be true, because Kevin Feige tells BET that nothing is that set in stone at this point. Even if there's an idea for a story that Ryan Coogler is beginning to outline, a lot could change between now and when the screenplay is actually locked.
One early rumor claimed that Killmonger would make an appearance on the spirit plane in a Black Panther sequel. It made as much sense as anything. As a former ruler of Wakanda, it would seem Killmonger qualifies for membership. It would be one way of bringing back the character that was incredible popular in the first movie, though, at the same time it seems like it would just be a cameo for the sake of a cameo.
For what it's worth, Michael B. Jordan will be happy to come back i somebody can come up with a way to make it work.
If Ryan Coogler has started work on Black Panther 2 only in the last few weeks, then we're probably still a couple of years away from a movie at least. We expect to get some confirmation about what Marvel actually has planned in just a few weeks at San Diego Comic-Con, as well as at Disney's own D23 Expo in August.
