A new rumor regarding Avengers: Doomsday suggests that a male Black Panther will be included in the new superhero film. Following the tragic passing of Chadwick Boseman, who portrayed Marvel's first Black Panther, T'Challa, the studio reworked its direction to pass the mantle of Wakandan protector to T'Challa's sister, Shuri (Letitia Wright). Shuri is one of the confirmed characters for Avengers 5, but a new rumor has added a twist to how the Black Panther will appear in the next Marvel crossover movie.
While Avengers: Doomsday will be the first time Shuri has held the mantle of the Black Panther among the Avengers, taking over from T'Challa in Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, it seems she may not be the only Black Panther in the film. Entertainment industry insider Daniel Richtman reported on X that there will be another Black Panther in Avengers: Doomsday and that this one will be male. This means that a male character will once again hold the mantle of the Black Panther in the MCU, at the same time that Shuri holds it as the female Black Panther.
It's unclear who or how this second Black Panther will be incorporated into the plot of Avengers: Doomsday, although it seems a likely bet that it will be linked to the Multiverse in some way. Jeff Sneider reported earlier in the year that the door was "firmly open" at Marvel to recast Boseman as T'Challa, which the magic of the Multiverse would likely explain. In a similar way that Robert Downey Jr. can play both Iron Man and Doctor Doom in the MCU, it's entirely possible that Marvel Studios could cast a new actor as a Multiversal version of T'Challa in the film, which would open up interesting story opportunities between this new T'Challa and Shuri.
It's also possible that this second Black Panther is not T'Challa at all, and is instead a completely new character from the Multiverse who has taken on the mantle of the Black Panther in their universe.
In Marvel Comics, several characters have held the title of Black Panther over the years. One likely candidate is K’Shamba, who was featured in Black Panther 2099. In this comic run, K'Shamba, as the Black Panther, led the forces of Wakanda to fight Doctor Doom and send his forces back to Latveria. Given K'Shamba's ties to Doctor Doom in the Multiverse, his Black Panther would be a logical version to include in Avengers: Doomsday.
Joe Russo and Anthony Russo are directing Avengers: Doomsday for Marvel Studios, with over 20 MCU actors reprising their roles for the Phase 6 film. The story will introduce Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom, who will serve as the main character of the new Marvel movie.
