Black Panther 2 Photos Reveal An Unexpected Actor’s Return
After the untimely death of Black Panther star Chadwick Boseman, everyone wondered how the Marvel Cinematic Universe would continue the character’s story without the man who played him on screen.
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After the untimely death of Black Panther star Chadwick Boseman, everyone wondered how the Marvel Cinematic Universe would continue the character’s story without the man who played him on screen. Tasked with the impossible, the creative team eventually developed a script worthy of Kind T’Challa’s legacy. While exact plot details are unknown, a lot of familiar faces will be returning for Black Panther 2. And thanks to a few behind-the-scenes images, it looks like Danny Sapani is one of them.
As principal photography on Black Panther 2 continues, the cast celebrated the fourth anniversary of the original film’s record-breaking 2018 premiere. To mark the occasion, Lupita Nyong’o shared some special photos capturing the moment with Winston Duke, Angela Bassett, Letitia Wright, and Danny Sapani. While the others had previously been confirmed to reprise their respective roles as Nakia, M’Baku, Ramonda, and Shuri, Sapani’s return had not been revealed. Check out the celebratory image from the cast of Black Panther 2 below:
Although Danny Sapani’s role in Black Panther was small, his character M’Kathu was an important member of the Wakandan Tribal Council. He represented the Border Tribe during the council’s meetings and attended T’Challa’s coronation ceremony. His presence in Black Panther 2 could suggest that the Tribal Council will be a lot more involved in the story this time.
Rumors suggest that Black Panther 2 could bring in characters from other Marvel projects too. Julia Louis-Dreyfus was spotted on set, so the Contessa will probably make an appearance in the film. Michael B. Jordan is also reportedly returning – although his character (Killmonger) died at the end of Black Panther. However, his return was always on the cards because bad guys can always make a comeback. Apparently, Killmonger will return in the Ancestral Plane, serving as a mentor to a young hero.
While nothing has been officially confirmed, Jordan has expressed interest in reprising his role for Black Panther 2. Speaking to Entertainment Tonight in May 2021, the actor said he loves those characters and Erik definitely means a lot to him. So if the timing is right and if the story is meaningful, he would love to be part of that journey. At the time Jordan said that he’s wasn’t sure what Ryan Coogler is doing with the film. But he has no doubt that he’ll work with him again – even if he doesn’t return as Killmonger.
Meanwhile, speculation about Kind T’Challa’s replacement still takes center stage on social media whenever Black Panther 2 is mentioned. Some fans believe that Letitia Wright’s character Shuri will take on the mantle left behind by her fictional brother, while past rumors suggested that the studio could still use Boseman in digital form. While the former is a good idea, the latter certainly isn’t something Marvel would consider. In an interview with Argentinian newspaper Clarín, executive producer, Victoria Alonso confirmed that they opted to rework the entire story instead, which could explain Michael B. Jordan’s return.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (or Black Panther 2) will be a direct sequel to its predecessor. It is also the 30th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Ryan Coogler will return as director, working from a script he co-wrote with Joe Robert Cole. The movie will star Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira, Martin Freeman, Letitia Wright, Winston Duke, Angela Bassett, Dominique Thorne, and Danny Sapani. The highly-anticipated superhero movie is currently scheduled to be released on November 11, 2022.
