Michael B. Jordan has finally spoken out about his surprise return to the MCU as Killmonger in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
The villain became an instant classic when he debuted in 2018, and his death didn’t keep people from hoping he’d somehow play a role in this year's sequel. In fact, many had theorized he could be back from the dead and go through a redemptive arc, all leading to him taking in the mantle of Black Panther.
While that never happened, he was involved in Shuri’s journey to taking on the mantle, much to her chagrin.
Despite the actor never confirming the possibility of his villain coming back, many still assumed that Jordan’s return was more likely a certainty than a probability.
Now, he has broken his silence about returning as Erik Killmonger once again.
Jordan Talks Killmonger In Wakanda Forever
In an interview with Extra TV, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever star Michael B. Jordan broke his silence on returning for the film.
Jordan revealed that “[he] had to lie to [his] family,” and “to everyone out [there]” when it came to his potential return:
“I had to lie to my family over here. I had to lie to everybody out here… I had to just keep it under wraps… When you’re dealing with Marvel and stuff like that, you know the routine. So you just gotta, you know, deny, deny, deny, deny, deny until the end of it, yeah.”
While speaking with ET Online, the actor noted how “crazy” it was how he had to lie to his family:
“I had to lie to my whole family. See what Marvel had me doing? Lied to my whole family, it’s crazy.”
Even weeks before the movie debuted, Jordan claimed to “[not even] know if [his return was] a possibility:"
“I don’t know if it’s a possibility. I mean, at one point or another, being able to be in the Marvel Universe was like a dream come true and if there was an opportunity for me to come back, of course I would. I’m not one of those guys like ‘oh no, I would never.’ Working with [director Ryan Coogler], what we did on that first project and what Marvel does as a whole is something that, as a fan, as a nerd and geek that I am, I just love to see those movies and those characters come to life.”
Will Fans See Killmonger Again?
Many fans were thrilled that the writer of Wakanda Forever found a way to incorporate the late villain into the mix. How they went about doing so was great, and it seemed to be the perfect scene for the character.
But how often will Marvel push their luck with him?
The writers have previously made it known they were always looking to integrate Killmonger into the film somehow, and that’s a tendency that probably won’t simply vanish. However, finding another spot for him to return will, no doubt, be incredibly difficult to pull off.
At the very least, Michael B. Jordan clearly loves the character and has always made it known that his door is always open to return to the world of the MCU.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is now in theaters worldwide.
