The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a massive place, but a few properties stand out as fan favorites. Ryan Coogler’s Black Panther is in that category, and the sequel Wakanda Forever is one of the most highly anticipated upcoming Marvel movies heading to theaters. That blockbuster is fast approaching, and M’Baku actor Winston Duke recently revealed what he’s “most excited” for in the Black Panther 2.
Us actor Winston Duke made his MCU debut as M’Baku in Black Panther, before reprising his role in Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame’s epic battles. He’s one of the many familiar faces that audiences can’t wait to catch up with in Wakanda Forever, and he gets some quick moments in the movie’s first trailer. Duke recently appeared at Disney’s annual D23 event (attended by CinemaBlend), where he spoke to the way his signature character and the overall story of Ryan Coogler’s franchise are changing in the sequel. In his words,
[M'Baku] is no longer the insular leader, he's learning how to move forward. So he has a very large, wide, macro lens as to what's happening and I think we get to see more of that, and see how much that impacts him. What I'm most excited for fans to see is how much more Wakanda there is. There's just so much more than the first movie, and that's exciting.
Is it November yet? It sounds like Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is going to greatly expand the story of the titular nation, as well as the characters who occupy it. Chadwick Boseman’s absence as T’Challa might have been described as a “gaping hole” on set, smart money says it helped characters like M’Baku and Okoye get even more screen time this time around. We’ll find out in just a few months.
Winston Duke’s comments to the D23 audience (which accompanied new clips from the sequel) show how big of a change we should see with his Marvel character in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. In the first movie M’Baku and the Jabari tribe were against T’Challa’s reign and lived as recluses. But since then he’s gotten on the right side of history, and it sounds like he’s becoming a greater leader in the country as a whole. Could he be a contender to possibly rule Wakanda?
The contents of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever are being kept under wraps, but it’ll seemingly follow the nation as they’re mourning the loss of their king. A new ruler will be needed, with that lucky person presumably becoming the next Panther in the process. Some of the most popular choices besides M’Baku include Letitia Wright’s Shuri and Danai Gurira’s Okoye. As a reminder, you can check out the super popular first trailer for Ryan Coogler’s sequel below.
As that powerful trailer suggests, Wakanda’s new leader won’t be the only plot line in the Black Panther sequel. The fictional country is also seemingly going to war with the MCU’s version of Atlanteans, led by Tenoch Huerta’s Namor the Sub-Mariner. So there’s going to be high emotional and physical stakes at play during the events of Wakanda Forever.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever will hit theaters on November 11th. In the meantime, check out the 2022 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience.
