Among the goodies that Disney+’s The Falcon and the Winter Soldier provided to viewers was a Black Panther tie-in by throwing the Dora Milaje into the mix, as well as showing a flashback of Bucky Barnes’ time in Wakanda. Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson, also visited the technologically advanced African nation in Avengers: Infinity War. So now that Sam has taken over the Captain America mantle and is wearing a new flight suit designed in Wakanda, is it possible that that he might find his way back there in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever?
While nothing is confirmed just yet, it sounds like Anthony Mackie is game to participate in the Black Panther sequel, which had its official title revealed earlier this month. Here’s what Mackie had to say to ET:
I do have a Wakanda visa, so I can go to Wakanda as much as I want. I have a passport and a Wakanda visa and I'm vaccinated, so I can go to Wakanda.
That certainly sounds like a man who’s willing to visit Wakanda as a moment’s notice. Given how often mini-crossovers happen in the Marvel Cinematic Universe nowadays, whether it’s Hulk showing up in Thor: Ragnarok or Doctor Strange popping into the upcoming Spider-Man: No Way Home, it certainly wouldn’t be the weirdest thing for Sam Wilson to fly into Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, particularly since it was Shuri’s Wakandan Design Group that made his Captain America costume. Even if there’s no room for Sam to participate in Black Panther 2’s main narrative, it might be fun to briefly spot him in Wakanda as he’s waiting for his flight suit to get tweaked or repaired.
Regardless of whether he appears in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever or not, Anthony Mackie definitely approves of the sequel’s title. As he put it:
It's dope. I feel like continuing that legacy is very important. There are a bunch of amazing actors and actresses under that Black Panther mantle who are now going to come together, and that legacy will live on. So, I'm really excited that they're showing that it's not specifically about Black Panther, but it's about Wakanda.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever will certainly feel quite different from its predecessor, as Chadwick Boseman, who played T’Challa across four movies, passed away in August 2020. Marvel Studios will not recast the role, and Letitia Wright’s Shuri will reportedly play a bigger role in Wakanda Forever, perhaps suggesting that like her comic book counterpart, she’ll become the new Black Panther. Lupita Nyong’o, Angela Bassett, Martin Freeman and Winston Duke will also reprise their respective roles, and Ryan Coogler returned to direct and write the screenplay. Wakanda Forever opens in theaters on July 8, 2022.
As for Sam Wilson, even if Black Panther: Wakanda Forever isn’t in the cards for him, his MCU journey isn’t ending with The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Malcolm Spellman and Dalan Musson, who both worked on the Disney+ series, are re-teaming to write the Captain America 4 script, with Anthony Mackie’s character finally getting the cinematic spotlight. Keep checking back with CinemaBlend for more news concerning upcoming Marvel movies.
