A new photo from behind the scenes on Avengers: Doomsday revealed the first look at a fan-favorite Black Panther character on set. The upcoming super-powered team-up movie is set to include several characters from the Wakandan corner of the beloved comic book franchise, including Letitia Wright's Shuri, Tenoch Huerta's Namor, and Winston Duke's M'Baku. The trio of characters from Ryan Coogler's MCU subfranchise will fill a void left behind by Chadwick Boseman's T'Challa, as Doomsday marks the first Avengers film since his passing in 2020.
With production ongoing on Avengers: Doomsday, a new photo inadvertently offered fans a first look at Winston Duke's fan-favorite M'Baku in the film. While specifics of Duke's role in the movie have not been disclosed, the actor could play a significant part in its epic Multiverse-faring story, including finally donning his Marvel Comics superhero alter-ego.
The image comes from cinematographer Newton Thomas Sigel on Instagram. The Doomsday creative shared a glimpse of production on the film, backdropped by a stunning sunrise on the horizon. However, it also happened to include a few key cast and crew members, including what seems to be a first look at M'Baku in the movie.
Duke's character is not 100% clear in the frame, but judging from the weapon that closely resembles M'Baku's knobkerrie being held by the person in question, it is all but certainly him standing there watching as the sun rises.
The fierce Wakandan warrior can almost always be seen holding the blunt striking staff, which has appeared alongside him in both Black Panther and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
Winston Duke joins a stacked Avengers: Doomsday cast, which includes big-name MCU actors like Chris Hemsworth and Anthony Mackie, along with classic returning legacy Marvel stars from the Fox X-Men universe, including Patrick Stewart and Sir Ian McKellen. The upcoming film, which was recently pushed from May to December 2026, comes from returning MCU filmmakers Joe and Anthony Russo. It will tell the story of Earth's Mightiest Heroes teaming up with several superhero teams as they attempt to thwart the Multiversal schemes of Doctor Doom (played by Robert Downey Jr.).
How Avengers 5 Could Set up a Major Change for M'Baku
It makes sense that Winston Duke's M'Baku would pop up in Avengers: Doomsday, given his close relation to the new Black Panther, Shuri. Still, his inclusion in the film could tease great things for the character in this movie or beyond.
In the comics, M'Baku sometimes goes by another name: Man-Ape. Often presented as an adversary to the Black Panther, this alter-ego sees him donning a full costume made of the skin of a hulking white gorilla.
In the MCU, elements of M'Baku's Man-Ape persona have been featured, including his being at odds with Chadwick Boseman's T'Challa (as seen in the first Black Panther film), but he has yet to fully don the moniker on the big screen. Avengers: Doomsday could change that.
The upcoming Avengers film could potentially give the Man-Ape character a heroic bent, giving M'Baku the superpowers granted to him by the sacred White Gorilla he has in the comics (including superhuman strength, stamina, and agility) and putting him on the Avengers team alongside Shuri's Black Panther.
Heading into 2022's Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, some wondered if Duke's character would don the Black Panther moniker after Boseman's tragic passing. While he never got the chance to, this could be an exciting way for the character to get his super-powered moment in the sun and become a full-fledged member of Earth's Mightiest Heroes.
