Black Panther: Wakanda Forever will soon close out Phase 4 and the MCU's 2022 theatrical slate as a new Wakandan steps into the heroic mantle after the death of Chadwick Boseman's T'Challa. Whoever follows in his footsteps will have a tough task of both living up to his legacy and fighting off Tenoch Huerta's Namor as his kingdom of Talocan goes to war with Wakanda.
Following the debut of the acclaimed first trailer for Wakanda Forever, fans have been going wild with excitement for the next look at the sequel. Amid the wait, speculation has been rife as to who will step into T'Challa's suit, with theories ranging from Letitia Wright's Shuri to Winston Duke's M'Baku.
Marvel Studios has still yet to officially confirm who will don the Black Panther suit in Wakanda Forever and have the tough task of living up to the legacy of Boseman's T'Challa. But the newly-released second trailer for the sequel has offered the best look yet at the upgraded suit, revealing an all-new female hero.
Black Panther 2 Debuts Second Trailer
Marvel Studios officially released the second trailer for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever as tickets went on sale for the November 11 release. The trailer includes the first up-close look at the new female Black Panther suited up.
The new Black Panther can be seen dropping into action with a dramatic landing that highlights the purple energy coming off the new suit, the very same seen on T'Challa's costume.
The trailer does not reveal the identity of the female Black Panther, but most have theorized Letitia Wright's Shuri will take over the mantle.
Closer looks at Namor also flood the trailer, with Tenoch Huerta's Talocan ruler shown floating into battle by the wings on his feet.
Amid the war between Wakanda and Talocan, Namor faces off with Angela Bassett's Queen Ramonda, setting the stage for the conflict.
Lupita Nyong'o's Nakia returns in Wakanda Forever, this time donning a brand-new suit as she is expected to step into a larger role.
The new look was accompanied by a brand-new poster that highlights the Wakandans and the Talocans on opposing sides of the battle as they go to war.
The full trailer can be seen below:
The New Black Panther's Identity Revealed?
Black Panther saw the country divided as Chadwick Boseman's T'Challa was challenged by both M'Baku and Kilmonger for the mantles of King and Wakanda's protector. This time around, the African nation will unite against external threats as Namor "[comes] for the surface world."
Much of that battle will clearly be taking place in Wakanda as the country and its legendary throne room floods with water in the trailer. Black Panther 2 has yet to reveal what will trigger the war between the nations, but Namor certainly shows some anger during his face-off with Wakanda's Queen Ramonda.
Among the most exciting new additions to the cast comes Dominique Thorne's Riri Williams, aka Ironheart, who dons her own armored suit in the trailer. Ahead of her 2023 Disney+ series, Ironheart is expected to play a starring role in Wakanda Forever, and their shared intellect will undoubtedly create a bond with Shuri.
Speaking of Shuri, although the trailer doesn't explicitly reveal her to be the new Black Panther, it certainly indicates she will be. Not only is she front and center on the poster, as the new leading hero would be, but she also carries T'Challa's cowl during what appears to be his funeral, indicating she may be next in line.
Up until now, Shuri has yet to demonstrate much in the way of combat expertise, having primarily utilized technology in battle. Obviously, the Black Panther is famously skilled in combat, so she will need to have been training hard in order to take on Huerta's Namor.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever hits theaters on November 11.