Now that Thor: Love and Thunder is in theaters, it's time to look forward to the next Marvel Studios movie: Black Panther Wakanda Forever. The upcoming Ryan Coogler-directed sequel will finally bring audiences back to Wakanda for a new adventure. Sadly, this time around, the world won't have the iconic Chadwick Boseman as T'Challa leading the cast.
Fans don't quite know what will become of the character in the upcoming film, but many will undoubtedly agree that he'll be missed. The cast and crew behind the movie have been vocal about making sure to honor the late actor with their work on Wakanda Forever, so audiences should still have plenty to look forward to.
Current guesses are that Letitia Wright's Shuri will be leading the charge this time, potentially even becoming the Black Panther herself. Other cast members such as Lupita Nyong'o, Danai Gurira, and Winston Duke will also be returning in key roles.
Now, ahead of the movie's marketing, Funko revealed some new figures for the 2018 film, including a special one for Chadwick Boseman's King T'Challa.
Special Chadwick Boseman Funko Revealed
On Twitter, Funko revealed a new set of Pops! from Marvel Studios' Black Panther. The group of figures is under a newly announced 'Legacy Collection'.
The four characters to receive updated collectibles include Shuri, Nakia, Ramonda, and Chadwick Boseman's T'Challa.
The new Funko for Boseman's T'Challa sees the king on his throne in formal wear.
This particular Black Panther piece seems to be a larger 6-inch figure.
Nakia's pop sees the character in full Dora Milaje attire with her battles in hand.
Ramonda gets to immortalize her beautiful white dress and headpiece.
Then there's Shuri in her lab attire, where she can also be seen holding a display in her hands.
There will also be a t-shirt bundle available exclusively at Target, which will include new Shuri clothing apparel and a Pop! of Letitia Wright's character—which is almost identical to her original figure but has minor adjustments to her armor and also glows in the dark.
The Beginning of Black Panther's Funko Reign
With San Diego Comic-Con only days away, the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever hype train is getting ready to leave the station. It's surprising that Funko had these ready for the market instead of simply revealing the new wave of figures for the upcoming sequel.
At the least, those who want more of Chadwick Boseman's T'Challa will be able to grab this neat throne piece. But, odds are there won't be anything for his character from Wakanda's next appearance.
Another notable aspect of this announcement is how there's a new label for 'Legacy Collection'. This means Funko is almost certainly going to be pumping out figures from previous movies—potentially even making the habit of releasing Pops from an earlier project ahead of its sequel.
So, fans should probably expect some new Ant-Man items before marketing starts up for Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, which hits theaters on February 17, 2023. As for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, the movie will be hitting theaters on Friday, November 11 later this year.
