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Pre-Release Theories
Man-Ape will appear as M'Baku.
- He'll be depicted as being associated with the MCU's version/adaptation of the White Gorilla Cult, who T'Challa views as future enemies.
- Confirmed. However, he becomes an ally.
Stan Lee will cameo as...
- The older companion of some boneheaded, rich American college boys who try to trespass on sacred Wakandan territory before being chased off by guards. Stan's line: "Run, true believers, but don't forget me!"
- Jossed. Stan has a cameo but it's in Busan.
- The father of Martin Freeman's Everett K. Ross, who clearly doesn't get why his son would be going to Africa, which he just calls "Jungle Place".
- General Wallace, reprising his role from the animated series.
- Part of a tour group being led on a safari through Wakanda.
- Or as an American tourist in Busan. There's been some filming there and we see part of a scene in Korea in the trailer.
- A man imprisoned in Wakandan jail for unintentionally blundering into Wakanda. Somehow.
- Reveal himself as Uatu
- The same guy he'd played in Avengers, being interviewed on another news broadcast, who's now poo-pooing the idea that there could be superheroes in Africa, either.
The plot will be a continuation of Civil War
- Since the first stinger of that movie had T'Challa granting Bucky, Cap, and possibly the other anti-Accords Avengers sanctuary in Wakanda, it would make sense for the implications of that decision to be a factor in his own movie.
- Likely jossed, since Sebastian Stan has confirmed that he isn't in the movie and we don't see a peep of the Avengers in the trailers.
Baron Zemo will be a villain
Because he killed T'Challa's father.- Jossed. He doesn't appear.
More of Black Panther's arsenal will be showcased.
Maybe his energy daggers.- Jossed.
Like the Man-Ape theory, Erik Killmonger will be introduced as N'Jadaka.
Klaue will mount an incursion into Wakanda and strong-arm his parents into assisting him before they get killed in the invasion, leading N'Jadaka to produce an artificial version of the heart-shaped herb and become Erik Killmonger in a future film.- Jossed. He's already known as Killmonger and dies in the film.
- Confirmed.
A suspiciously similar substitute of Ororo Munroe a.k.a Storm be mentioned or seen
- Maybe just a brief scene of T'Challa flirting with a white-haired girl who tells him the weather is better here than in Cairo.
- Or his friend mentions the last girl he dated looked like a goddess but had a stormy temper.
- Jossed.
It will be revealed that Klaue sold Zemo both the bomb he used on the UN and the EMP device he used in Germany
To restore both Klaue's role in T'Chaka's death from the comics and his personal animosity with T'Challa.- Jossed.
Klaue's fear of cuttlefish will become a Brick Joke
- And someone will point out to him that it's anglerfish, not cuttlefish, that use the "disco light" to hypnotize their prey.
- Jossed.
At one point, Klaue will use the word "precious."
He will most likely use it when referring to the Vibranium, or Black Panther's father and/or country.- Bonus points if he refers to Vibranium as "precious" to Everett Ross.
- Jossed.
- Jossed. The two never meet.
Klaue will have a much smaller role than people are expecting
The movie is only a few months away from filming, and Andy Serkis has yet to be confirmed for the cast. Also, the film already has two villains in Erik Killmonger and M'Baku, and may even have a third if a certain character follows their comic counterpart's arc. The MCU also removed the main connection between T'Challa and Klaue by having Zemo murder T'Chaka instead. According to Joss Whedon, Klaue's appearance in Age of Ultron was written before he even knew a Black Panther movie had been greenlit, meaning the cameo probably wasn't intended to be a lead-in to the BP movie.With all that, it's possible Klaue's part will be rather small, with the character serving as a Starter Villain or Disc-One Final Boss before the actual conflict with Killmonger and M'Baku.
- Judging from the trailer Killmonger is breaking Klaw out of captivity, the most likely reason probably being because his aid is needed for anything Killmonger has planned. I'm going to tentatively contest this one.
- Confirmed. Killmonger kills him to further his own plans.
Klaue's father will be briefly mentioned, and he'll be made into a Fictional Counterpart of Fritz Jaobert Duquesne
Just in case you're not familiar with the name, Duquesne was a South African who spied for the Germans in both world wars and in his private life posed as a big game hunter who once guided Teddy Roosevelt on a safari. There are already a couple things right there he has in common with Klaw, and Ulysses' dad from the comics is even named Fritz. If Agent Carter is resumed or some other wartime series ever pops up it would leave open the possibility of Klaue, Sr. being a villain.- Jossed.
M'Baku won't be Man-Ape in this movie.
Instead, he'll be an ally of Killmonger who is set up to become the main villain of a potential Black Panther 2, where he takes on the mantle of the white gorilla and become Man-Ape then. It will be alluded to in one of the stingers.- Confirmed in that he's not known as Man-Ape. However, the rest is Jossed. It's the opposite, in that he's initially an enemy and becomes an ally.
The plot will draw from Ta-Nehisi Coates' current run.
The MCU has already introduced one of the major new characters from Coates' run (Ayo) and Boseman has hinted that Coates will have a big influence on the film.
The plot might focus on T'Challa dealing with the fallout surrounding the collapse of the Accords, the death of his father and whatever else transpires in the preceding three films, and keeping his country together in the face of these threats.- Jossed.
- Mostly, anyway. However, the movie still embodies elements from Coates’ run, mostly in terms of visual style (black and purple/blue are strong color combination throughout the film) and gadgets like the all-capable Kimoyo beads that most Wakandans wear and T’Challa’s new suit that forms around his body and glows with absorbed kinetic energy that can be redirected as purple pulse blasts. Additionally, while its conflict never quite escalates to the level seen in A Nation Under Our Feet, Killmonger still plays on civilian displeasure with the Wakandan monarchy among some of the Border Tribe, forcing T’Challa and his allies to fight their own people to put down the coup, all while T'Challa has to wrestle with the question of how he'll govern moving forward.
Klaue's robot arm will be adapted from Shuri's arm cannons.
Killmonger will give it to him as payment for his help with whatever their plan is.- Jossed. It was made from a mining tool.
Ayo is not going to go through Adaptational Sexuality.
The creators stated that there won't be a same-sex relationship, but that doesn't mean that she's not queer in this version. It could simply be that she's not in a relationship yet and could be in one in the future, or they could hint that they're building up a romantic story-line in this movie.- Nothing is said either way.
The heart-shaped herb will be folded into the MCU as a pre-existing form of Phlebotinum.
The herb grants superhuman abilities, but only to members of the royal family - and only those of intense psychological strength and/or character. It having an effect on only a single bloodline all but screams Terragen crystals, and its success being dependent on psychological factors makes it Super Soldier Serum. Wakandan scientists might even discover they are one and the same, tying all the biological powers of the MCU to a common source.- Mostly jossed; the film does not explicitly go far enough into specifics to strongly say either way, but it appears that anybody can take the heart-shaped herb given the variety of ethnicities of rulers seen in the Ancestral Plane (who surely all can’t be of a single familial lineage) and that Nakia had intended to offer it to M’Baku (who is certainly not of any of Wakanda's royal families).
Possibilities for the post-credits scene(s)
- Thanos appears, heading to Earth with minions in tow to capture the Infinity Stones.
- Everett Ross meets Carol Danvers on a military base.
- One of the villains from the film is brought to the Raft, where they see a mysterious female prisoner played by Hannah John-Kamen, setting her up for her role in Ant-Man and the Wasp.
- Bucky awakens with a new robotic arm and is told by T'Challa that it's time for him to be reunited with his friends. Steve and one of the Avengers who sided with him enter the room and it is revealed in a pulling out shot that they aren't in Wakanda, leaving the audience guessing what is going on.
- Or there's a red alert that forces T'challa to run down to the cold sleep chamber, just to see Steve cracking it open.
T'challa: No! He is not ready.
Steve: I know. But we're out of time.- Jossed. Bucky has apparently been awake for a period of time living in a small Wakandan village area without a replacement for his arm.
- Thor returns to Earth with a warning of the threats coming in Avengers: Infinity War.Tony Stark: (after hearing rushed explanation) Ok, quick question... Who the hell are these guys?
- A new hero is introduced.
- Klaue is beaten and left derelict, and gets a call on his phone and hastily answers it... and learns he can make a comeback by selling off his remaining assets to a nameless buyer.Klaue: And who do I make it out to?
Caller: Oscorp.- Jossed. Klaue is killed by Killmonger.
- Klaue, who's been experiencing vibranium poisoning from his robot arm (since it's been used by everyone externally till this point), is revealed to be losing lots of weight and some hair, and he looks in the mirror and realizes his teeth are messed up. Then the mirror image tells him it'll be all right.
- Erik Killmonger is revealed to be Blade in disguise.
- The Stinger may as well be a scene from Avengers: Infinity War, like most movies before it, providing a slightly modified version of a scene in the film. What is this scene? Bucky being woken up.
- T'Challa meeting with a representative from another country. That representative being none other than Doctor Doom.
- The meeting representative part? Right on the money. Dr. Doom? Not even close.
- All Jossed. T'Challa addresses the United Nations about Wakanda helping the world in the mid-credits scene. The post credits scene shows that Bucky is staying in a Wakandan village.
Black Panther's Luke Charles identity will be referenced
Maybe as the name he used while attending school in America.- Jossed.
Someone will reference Coming to America
Because... oh, no reason.- Jossed.
Everett K. Ross will undergo Break the Haughty and redeem himself as a Badass Bureaucrat
- Confirmed, though he's not really haughty.
The King's ring is actually one of the Mandarin's ten rings
Basically, a group of heroes, including one of T'Challa's ancestors, fought the real Mandarin and stole his power rings, weakening the organization and forcing him into hiding. The rings were then kept hidden by the heroes and their descendants, with T'Challa's ancestor using his ring as a sign of the Black Panther clan's leadership. During the movie, the ring will be stolen and go missing, until The Stinger where it will be returned to the Mandarin.- Jossed. This movie is quite self-contained, with barely any reference to the wider MCU. Also, it’s shown that there are multiple rings that are passed from generation to generation among the ruling family — or at least the immediate dynasty that lead to T’Challa and Killmonger. (T’Challa refers to his as “my grandfather’s ring.”)
Shuri will become a villain in a future movie.
Something drastic that T'Challa does in the future will drive a wedge between her and T'Challa, causing her to lose her trust in him and view the Avengers as potential enemies if she were to turn against him. This will start her on the path to use her skill with advanced technology to become borderline unstoppable. Nakia will betray T'Challa and join forces with Killmonger
Both her original character turning evil and becoming an ally of Killmonger and her being a spy giving her a more cynical view of the world that make her more likely to join Killmonger have her betray T'Challa.- Jossed. She stays on his side.
Jossed/Confirmed
Klaue won't be the only villain.
Maybe another one?- Probably Zemo, as this would be the only remaining Phase 3 movie that he could realistically fit into.
- Confirmed - Michael B. Jordan is playing Killmonger.
T'Challa won't have a love interest.
He has too much to worry about, being a royal and superhero at the same time for that stuff. At least during this film anyway...- Jossed
Lupita Nyong'o is not playing a love interest
She will play Shuri, T'Challa's sister who famously succeeded him as the Black Panther.- Jossed. She's Nakia. Though she may turn out not to be a proper love interest in the end.
- A female character wouldn't have to be T'Challa's blood relative in order to not be his love interest.
Lupita Nyong'os character
She'll be one of the following:- Monica Lynne
- A member of the Dora Milaje
- Working off of this, specifically Queen Divine Justice.
- Possibly Nakia/Malice, whose relationship will be changed from a Villainous Crush to a more mutual Dating Catwoman.
- Confirmed that she will be playing Nakia.
- Albeit this Nakia is not a Dora Milaje, but a War Dog spy.
- Monica Rambeau (a long shot)
Klaue's prosthetic arm...
- Will be the one Tony Stark ripped off Bucky Barnes/The Winter Soldier at the end of Civil War. One of the big themes that they seem to be setting up with Black Panther is the idea of the cycle of revenge, that vengeance only begets more vengeance, so it would make sense that T'Challa's main enemy, a man who has fought Black Panthers again and again, would be using the weapon arm of T'Challa's former enemy.
- Jossed. Tony blasted that arm to pieces. There's nothing left.
Michael B. Jordan's character:
- Killmonger
- Confirmed!
- White Wolf
- M'Baku
- Vibraxas
- W'Kabi
- Kasper Cole
Letitia Wright will play T'Challa's sister, Shuri.
No name has been released for Wright's character so far, and her agent hinted that she was playing an important role. Of course, that might be hype, but Shuri - as T'Challa's closest relative and a (future) Black Panther in her own right - seems like a no-brainer addition to the movie.- Confirmed!
Sterling K. Brown's character is Erik Killmonger's father
In the comics, Erik's father was a minor Posthumous Character who was never named. It appears that at least some of the film will take place in flashbacks to the 90's, and Sterling K. Brown is said to be playing a character who has a small but important role. He is likely playing Killmonger's dad.- Confirmed.
The plot of Black Panther will be people coming for the frozen Bucky as Steve warned T'Challa that they would
- This will lead to the inevitable and awesome team-up between Black Panther and Bucky. Also, since Klaue is the villain, he and Bucky will make arm jokes.
- Jossed. The plot is not about Bucky. He does appear, but only in the post-credits.
Bucky will appear briefly as a Deus ex Machina
In a similar vein to X-Men: Apocalypse, during a battle with the supporting villains, T'Challa (or a supporting character) will release Barnes, who (equipped with a new vibranium arm) will kill the supporting villains before being returned to cryo-stasis.- Confirmed partially. He is in the second post-credits scene. Shuri has been helping him in seclusion this entire time.
- Mostly jossed, while does appear he is just there to show that he has been going through therapy. He also has no bearing at all to the plot at all.
Alternately, Bucky will serve a similar function as Ross in the comics - specifically an Audience Surrogate as well as Deuteragonist
Bucky will work alongside T'Challa by providing valuable intelligence about Hydra's past activities (as well as backing T'Challa up in combat). Along the way, he'll learn from T'Challa and the supporting cast about Wakanda and its technology.- Jossed.
When fighting Killmonger, T'Challa will state that Killmonger reminds him of someone.
At one point, T'Challa and Killmonger will fight. T'Challa will notice Killmonger's fighting style, and state that he (Killmonger) reminds him of a man that he had fought note .- Bonus points if Jordan is using a shield and/or fiery weapons.
- Played with. The official trailer includes a shot of Killmonger in a flame-filled room declaring he wants to burn the whole world down.
After a white actress is confirmed to have a bit part, it will become wildly theorized that the character is Jessica Drew
Similar to how many people thought Scott Eastwood was playing Nightwing in disguise in Suicide Squad (2016) and it turning out to be some soldier guy, any white actress confirmed to have a bit part, like as a foreign diplomat briefly seen with T'Challa, will be thought to be Jessica Drew in disguise for Hydra. It'll be widely believed for arbitrary reasons. Then she'll turn out to be just as minor as suggested and definitely not Jessica Drew at all.- Jossed. The only confirmed white actors are Martin Freeman and Andy Serkis, and the only white woman with a speaking role was an unnamed museum curator.
Man-Ape will be heavily altered for the film
Like The Mandarin, the Ancient One and Wong before him, Man-Ape will receive a drastic overhaul to avoid seeming racist.- Confirmed. He isn't called Man-Ape and his gorilla motifs have been made into much more subtle elements in his warrior garb.
Klaue will be tied back to T'Chaka's death.
Although Zemo killed T'Challa's father in Civil War, we'll find out that Klaue (as a known arms dealer) was the one who supplied him with the bomb. This will not only help elevate Klaue to archenemy status, it will also tie him to Zemo for a potential Masters of Evil role later on.- Jossed. He is completely uninvolved in T'Chaka's death, although he is said to have killed W'Kabi's parents.
Zemo will make a cameo in the film
Ross, his jailer, will likely appear; it would make sense for the man who killed T'Challa's father to appear as well. Furthermore...- Jossed.
Monica Lynne will appear as a colleague of Everett Ross.
In the comics, Monica is T'Challa's African-American love interest. She will join Ross as part of a diplomatic envoy to Wakanda and fall in love with T'Challa.- Jossed.
T'Challa will give Steve a new shield while he's in Wakanda.
- We saw at the end that Steve left his Cap shield behind when he went on the run: it's government property after all. Then in the mid-credits scene, we see that Steve is now in Wakanda talking with Black Panther — and Wakanda is, of course, the world's source of vibranium. Perhaps Black Panther will give Steve a replacement shield, especially if Steve has abandoned the Captain America mantle.
- Jossed. Steve does not appear in this movie.
- The theory may be jossed for Black Panther, but it's still in play for Avengers: Infinity War, at least if the first trailer is any indication.
- "And get this man a shield!"
- Confirmed, actually.
Post-Release Theories
Wakanda’s isolationism included a restriction on non-Wakandan media
While not necessarily confirmation either way, Shuri designs sound-absorbent shoes that function similarly to the Nike Mags Power Laces from Back to the Future, which she refers to as "the old American movie Baba used to watch." This implies that at least the Royal family if not the larger upper class, have access to Western media. The Wakandan Plants provide the missing ingredient for the Super Soldier Serum.
We already know from a brief conversation between Cap and Tony in Age of Ultron that Howard Stark had already been to Wakanda at least once, and it would explain how the Jewish Abraham Erskine was able to make it out of Nazi Germany safely. If he's sitting in Wakanda while the Third Reich comes into power, he could have been headed back when he had to change plans and move to America. Plus it would explain some Wakanda's isolation policies better in the modern day and age.- That might lead to some minor Fridge Horror, as the Wakandans have a potion that takes away the Super Soldier's powers. That means it's possible for Cap's powers to be stripped away too.
- Howard Stark did not go to Wakanda, he simply says that they came by a (limited) amount of vibranium and that was all they had. The film states several times that Klaw is the only outsider to make it into Wakanda and leave alive. Likewise for Dr Erskine. He was in Germany, then captured by the Nazis and forced to work for the red skull until he was freed by Peggy Carter then taken to America.(Shown in the Captain America tie in comics).
The Wakandan healing technology used to save Ross's life will turn up in Avengers: Infinity War.
T'Challa and Shuri will use the tech to cure Rhodey's paralysis from Captain America: Civil War.- Also, Tony Stark and Shuri will clash when they first meet (especially considering that Tony probably still wants revenge against Bucky for his parents' deaths) but ultimately they'll bond over their shared love of science and invention.
- Jossed. Rhodey stays paralyzed and Tony never meets Shuri before his death. At most, he might have caught a glimpse of her during the final battle in Endgame.
The Soul Stone will make its debut here.
Maybe it's a Wakandan artifact that (somehow) made it on Earth. It may be possible that it could have something to do with the technology the Wakandans have. Maybe the artifact is bestowed to the king of Wakanda, and this may explain things like the Golden Jaguar suit. In addition, both Infinity War trailers show T’challa and Bucky with a group of Wakandans. Maybe they are defending Wakanda from Thanos to keep him from getting the Soul Stone?- One factor in this theory's favor: Word of God has stated that the Eternal Flame is NOT the Soul Stone. This film is the only one remaining before Infinity War.
- One possibility: The Soul Stone contains a pocket universe where the souls of the previous Black Panthers are contained, i.e. the "afterlife" T'Chaka told T'Challa about, and the dreamlike savannah seen in the main trailer.
- Another possibility: The Soul Stone is inside the meteorite that the Wakandans have. The meteorite is the source of the nation's vibranium. The Stone is capable of allowing the souls of deceased individuals to communicate with the living and vice-versa in a similar to how Odin communicated with Thor in Thor Ragnarok via a dreamlike or astral realm.
- Given the trailer to Infinity War that dropped in November had Thanos's forces fight in Wakanda, that gives some credence to the theory. After all, why else would Thanos care about Wakanda amidst his little rock hunt?
- More fuel for this theory: if the whole T-H-A-N-O-S Infinity Stone theory is true, then the only one not revealed yet is the "H". What is the name for the vibranium mound Wakanda is built around? Heart of Wakanda.
- Jossed. It does not appear in this film, and in fact is not in Wakanda (or on Earth) at all.
Shuri is secretly involved with Bucky.
The second stinger reveals that they've been spending a lot of time together since the end of Civil War, with Shuri teaching him about Wakanda. There were loving stares between the two, despite the scandal such a relationship would cause (for many reasons, among them age, given that Shuri is 16 and Bucky was born around the same time as her grandfather). The Soul Stone is at the core of the Vibranium Meteor
Much like how the Tesseract can imbue Earth-borne materials with powerful energies, the Soul Stone is likewise the origin of vibranium, explaining not just the metal's durability and use as an energy source, but also its ability to bond with living creatures, and most importantly, the Heart-Shaped Herb's connection to the spirit realm. It's possible the Stone was originally embedded in an ordinary iron meteor, maybe even deliberately, and the metal was transmuted across millions of years into its current vibranium form. This is why Thanos's forces will invade Wakanda.- Jossed. It isn't anywhere on Earth, but on a distant planet guarded by the Red Skull. The reason Thanos attacks Wakanda is because all the Avengers regrouped there, including Vision, who still has the mind stone.
Klaue isn't truly dead or will come some how come back to life.
In the comics, Klaue eventually became a humanoid of pure sound. And in the MCU stranger things have happened.- He could return played by Zendaya.
Iron Man and Shuri will clash over who's the best tech genius.
- Tony: I bet I could make better inventions than you if I had as much vibranium as you have.Shuri: Nice try, Stark, but you'll need a better plan to get vibranium. You already made too many Ultrons.
- He'll eventually make one vibranium armor for each of them. She'll improve hers to outdo him.
- Jossed. Tony never meets Shuri before his death.
The next movie will have someone asking where Captain America was during this one.
Considering how Civil War ended, several fans must be wondering why Cap didn't appear this time.- Jossed; Infinity War made fairly clear that Cap only dropped off Bucky in Wakanda but did not stay in the country afterward. When the Avengers bring Vision to Wakanda, Bucky's reemergence is the first time they've seen each other since Civil War.
The next movie will feature Doctor Doom or at least have him referenced.
He'll be featured as the ruler of Latveria and a Token Evil Teammate to the Infinity War heroes. During the epilogue, he'll try to get some vibranium for himself. Black Panther will capture him only to find out it's Actually a Doombot.- Likely jossed. Even if the Fox acquisition goes as planned, it'll be quite some time before the characters Fox had the rights to are introduced. Unless the sequel to this movie is particularly far off, it would be a bit to early.
- Confirmed as Jossed.
Shuri will make a new shield for Captain America.
Now that Disney owns the Twentieth Century Fox, the new shield will be made of an alloy of Adamantium and Vibranium.- Jossed. Cap gets his old shield from Tony and passes it onto Sam.
There are more heart-shaped herbs.
There's a secret garden the Kings aren't told about unless necessary because the ones in charge of the herbs were Crazy-Prepared enough to anticipate a King who'd want them destroyed. Something as practically and culturally important as them wouldn't be keep in a single place.- Given their level of technology, simply preserving their genome would be enough. And even if there was some tradition preventing that, Shuri cares little enough about tradition to have done it anyway. At worst it would take them a decade or so to regrow their garden.
- Confirmed. In the sequel, Shuri attempts to reproduce them in her labs.
- More simply, however, the herbs are going to eventually regrow. The opening narration, which explains that the Vibranium also affected plant life, makes a clear implication Vibranium is the cause of the herbs' very existence. A second movie may end with T'Challa somberly pondering on his duty to protect Wakanda as long as he can because there will be no more Black Panthers after him, and then cut to a new flower blossoming somewhere in the country.
The herbs are no more than a placebo for Wakandan royalty and a poison for others.
Like in comics canon, they have harmful effects for people who aren't Wakandan royalty and their only purpose is to unmask and dispose of impostors trying to seize the throne. The whole depowering is just an act performed for sake of the masquerade.- Seems unlikely; Black Panther shows multiple different tribes represented among the former Black Panthers in the Ancestral Plane, and it's unreasonable to think that they all would've been related to each other in one clean line of descent. Additionally, one would have to ask why N'Jobu and Killmonger's can go to the Ancestral Plane at all, especially considering the latter's ill intent toward Wakanda anyway.
- Jossed. The herbs also gives the Black Panther 'super strength'.
Klaue isn't the only one who invaded Wakanda and survived.
Iron Man went there to look for Bucky and, not knowing the whole third-world nation gig was just a front, he found himself outmatched and, not wanting to admit it, kept the experience to himself no nobody outside Wakanda would know. T'Challa would go after him but he got word about Klaue and decided Tony could wait. The whole mess with Klaue and Erik made Tony not worth remembering to the Wakandans. Tony will feel offended at this.- Technically Klaue never invaded Wakanda. He was the only foreigner to ever find them, but he was captured. He did however slaughter a number of Wakandan citizens escaping. But that was the one time and they did mark him. However while his actions made him an enemy of the nation, the only reason he found the place was inside help from Killmonger's father. Who most likely expected Klaue to go in, steal the Vibranium and get out without harming anyone. If not for N'Jobu literally showing him the way. Klaue would never even have found Wakanda. So generally speaking Klaue is not really that formidable. The only reason he matters was due to inside help, and him killing Wakandan citizens while escaping. It was stated that he had eluded justice. He wasn't exactly hard to find. Considering it was T'Chaka who had decided not to go after him, no surprise because going after Klaue would have risked revealing his greatest shame, that the reason that Wakanda was infiltrated leading to multiple deaths was due to information provided by his brother. Whom he later killed in defense of another. Which is why W'Kabi was so furious that when they finally went after him he got away.
A Wakandan created DC's Gorilla City in the MCU.
It serves two special purposes: anyone who found out the truth about Wakanda and somehow lived to tell the tale would likely be accused of reading too many comic stories featuring Gorilla City; and making it a city of gorillas serves as a jab at the one Wakandan tribe who refuses to live under Black Panther's rule. The "Young Oakland Kid" who talks to T'Challa at the end of the movie is Eli Bradley, AKA Patriot.
Ryan Coogler revealed in an interview that he toyed around with introducing Eli early on, but was ultimately not included so that they could focus more on Wakanda. Perhaps there would have been a minor subplot about young Eli in Oakland, ending with what we see at the end of this movie. It also wouldn't be the first time a member of the Young Avengers appears in a minor role in the MCU (Cassie Lang in Ant-Man).- Jossed. Eli appears elsewhere in 'The Falcon and the Winter Solider''.
The "Young Oakland Kid" who talks to T'Challa at the end of the movie is Erik's son.
Logistically it would be difficult, but not impossible; we know Erik had a relationship with at least one woman, and he was old enough to have a child if he started young. The kid sets himself apart from the crowd and approaches T'Challa, not the ship; perhaps he recognizes the ship well enough knows to connect T'Challa to it.Most importantly the kid being Erik's son would set a cap on the movie's persistent theme of fathers and sons, and the debts owed to your kin. From T'Challa's point of view, T'Chaka's biggest mistake was not in killing N'Jobu, but in abandoning Erik. T'Challa would not want to repeat that mistake with Erik's own son, and he would want to make right the wrongs that Wakanda did to Erik. Why go back to that specific Oakland neighborhood? To outreach to the community generally, but perhaps also this one child specifically? Mjolnir was made of vibranium
Vibranium is extraterrestrial in nature, incredibly tough, has a variety of powers, mostly energy-generating and sound-based, is silvery in color, can grant living things strength and heal them, is instrumental in Wakandan flight technology, and obviously has magical properties. Meow-meow could well be made of the stuff. It was made of a metal "from a heart of a dying star", is incredibly touch, great for channelling and storing power (remember the lightning explosion when it was shattered), probably generates power as well (it needs power to fly on its own), is silvery in color, revitalized Thor and returned his strength when returned to him in first Thor film (okay, part of that was Odin's enchantment, but it mentioned nothing of healing mortal wounds), can fly, and is responsive to enchantments (whether that enchantment was Asgardian "science" or Doctor Strange style magic is up in the air, even if they are different things). And it reacts funny to Cap's shield. Wakandans could theoretically fix it.- Jossed. It's made of Uru.
Wakanda will be featured in Season 6 of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
All Marvel Studios has to do is share CGI assets and some extras. Or the Agents could be involved with Wakanda's international outreach centres, like the one opened in the ending of the movie. Interaction between Daisy's powers and vibranium could be interesting to explore, and could explain how she possible ends up destroying the Earth. Ex-members of the Hand have become mercenaries.
In Iron Fist, episode 8, Gao has two bodyguards with her, one of whom is knocked unconscious. I could be wrong (his actor/stuntman is Daniel Norris isn't credited on IMDB, at least as yet), but I'm sure this bodyguard is with Klaue at the Korean casino. He is credited in being in Captain America: Civil War (not sure where though). A case of same actor appearing in multiple MCU titles (he's also in Logan), or is there an unknown character cropping up everywhere? The Soul Gem gives the Heart Shaped Flowers their power.
It would explain why it would let them see the souls of their ancestors.Plus it follows the Thanos name theory with the H being Heart Shaped Flowers- Jossed. The movie opens by stating that vibranium from a meteorite caused the mutations leading to the heart shaped herbs' powers.
The horned mask from the museum really did mean something to Erik.
We barely learn anything about Erik's mother, but given his attitudes and dying words, she was presumably an African-American descendant of slaves. If he ever looked into his mother's family history, he may have learned what part of Africa his maternal ancestors were kidnapped from, and stolen the mask because it came from that region. In contrast to the above, Tony will NOT be hostile/jealous of Shuri
Seriously have you SEEN Tony interact with young geniuses in the comics (Ironheart)? In the MCU (see Spiderman: Homecoming) He'd think she's the most adorable thing EVER, be ecstatic that somebody else (other than Bruce) can understand him when he goes all technobabble "Finally somebody else who speaks English!" and for bonus points will immediately try to arrange a 'lab-date' between Shuri and Peter.- Unknown, as Tony never meets Shuri before his death.
Shuri will become a second Black Panther in a future movie
There isn't exactly any rule against having two Panthers at the same time, not in the movie-verse. Whether through T'Challa being temporarily out of commission (as in the comics) or just being too busy working with the Avengers, Shuri may very well end up taking over as guardian of Wakanda. There are at least three Black Panthers suits as well.- With the passing of Chadwick Boseman, they may just have to.
- Confirmed.
Killmonger is a Daydream Believer
A couple lines stand out. Ross said that Erik wracked up kills "like he was in a video game" and Erik himself said that he thought Wakanda was a "fairy tale" when he was growing up. If you take the view that he believes himself to be a Player Character in a video game, then a number of things start to make sense.- He steals the horned mask because "I'm feeling it". The vibranium axe was a quest item, mandated by the story but he liked the horned mask so he took it, just like a Player Character walking into someone's home and opening a chest.
- He lacks empathy for all his kills, even his girlfriend, because they're all NPCs from his perspective.
- He tells T'Challa that all of his missions and all of his training in the US military was to get him to this Challenging the Chief moment. What is the point of side-quests and level/skill grinding but to defeat a story boss?
- Throwing T'Challa off the waterfall was not Bond Villain Stupidity but role-playing. He is The Hero of this story so he wants to give his enemy, and thus the villain, a Disney Villain Death.
- He talks about his Take Over the World plan in terms of numbers and resources as if it were a game of Civilization. His talk about fighting the oppressors is more roleplaying because he sees himself as continuing the Wakanda fairy tale he grew up on.
- His attitude during his rematch with T'Challa is akin to an aggressive online player. It's clear from his expression that he sees T'Challa's "I never yielded, and as you can see, I'm not dead" as Sore Loser Loophole Abuse. Even when he's fatally injured, his response is "helluva move". In other words, "GG, dude". As he was bleeding out, he probably thought he was going to respawn.
- He dresses up like Vegeta, as if he's customizing his character with a special skin.
Hanuman really is a Wakandan deity.
Turns out that the etymology for this theory is actually highly contested in real life, so... The Sneakers will serve an important purpose in Infinity War.
As an unfired Chekhov's Gun, either Black Panther's ability to walk without making a sound is a Red Herring or it just wasn't important this time.- Jossed.
Killmonger isn't going to stay dead.
He was wearing the suit of vibranium nanobots when he was stabbed in the chest, surely some of them entered the wound, and it's already been shown that vibranium is really good at healing stuff. Additionally he wasn't cremated or buried underground, he was buried at sea, so it wouldn't be crazy if he was able to wake up and swim to a nearby shore.- To poke a hole in the idea though, it's not just any vibranium that can heal things; the Kimoyo bead T'Challa gave to Ross was specifically designed for medical purposes.
Shuri will be Ironheart in the MCU.
Shuri will create an Iron Man suit for herself sometime in the future. If anything, she can be Tony Stark's successor.- Jossed. Riri is introduced in the sequel.
Shuri will be in the Spider-Man: Homecoming sequel.
This one is a no-brainer. She could be a foreign exchange student who goes to the same high school or college as Peter Parker and they team-up together. Not only that, but her Wakandan ties can help introduce audiences to Kraven the Hunter who Sony can use if they still want to make a Sinister Six movie.- Jossed. She's nowhere to be seen in Far From Home.
Killmonger was part of Ghost Recon
"He joined a JSOC ghost unit, now these guys are serious, they would drop off the grid so they could commit assassinations and take down governments." ―Everett RossDoesn't that sound similar to the plot of Ghost Recon Wildlands?
If he hadn't been abandoned, then Erik would have turned out like Loki
What If? T'Chaka brought Erik home to Wakanda and raised the kid as his own, in atonement for killing the boy's father? Then we have Erik growing up as a foster brother for the crown-prince. They would play together, perhaps have a fun brotherly rivalry, but T'Challa would always be the heir and thus given preferential treatment. First among these would be the Heart-Shaped Herbs, which would make it impossible for Erik to defeat his brother/cousin in friendly competitions anymore. He would have to settle for being an advisor or agent or something.A couple subjects would eventually come up. The first of which is succeeding T'Chaka as king. The second, more unlikely (given how reluctant Zuri was to talk about it) but still possible subject is that T'Chaka killed Erik's father. If Erik found out about what happened to his father, and in particular, why it happened, then it could have a similarly devastating effect on Erik's mentality to Loki finding out he was truly a frost-giant. Even if T'Chaka did his best to be a good father, it would be impossible to forget why he had to fill this role in the first place, and Erik would pick up on that at some point. All that built-up resentment could boil over into an official challenge or an outright coup.
The details would be different, but the fundamental outline of the story could possibly be the same.
Ramonda persuaded the Jabari to be Big Damn Heroes in the climax.
- More a headcanon than a guess, but she's a forceful politician in the comics and didn't get to do much politicking in the movie.
Erik loved his girlfriend Linda.
Erik did love her, but his goals come first. Listen to his voice when he tells her things will be okay. He sounds sad. The Heart-Shaped Herb converts vibranium into a bio-available form.
- That's how ingesting the herb grants Super-Strength and Super-Speed: It infuses the body with trace amounts of vibranium, which can absorb, redirect, and amplify the energies of motion. That also explains why the herb hasn't spread, it can only grow on the Great Mound (or at least, if it grows elsewhere, it grants no special benefit). That potion Black Panthers take during challenges must convert the vibranium back into an inorganic form, where the body can no longer make use of it.
Sequel Theories
The sequel's villain will be...
- Achebe. Mostly because he's probably the most prominent Black Panther villain who didn't appear in this movie, but also because his methodology gels nicely with Wakanda opening up to the world at the end of this movie.
- Achebe will be a Wakandan in this version. This is purely for narrative streamlining and he is otherwise the same. Due to being well-aware of Klaue, Achebe will steal his body and revive him as Klaw using a combination of vibranium and magic, setting up him to be the main villain of the third Black Panther movie.
- M'Baku. While he helped T'Challa in this movie, his traditionalist sensibilities would probably not endear him to the decision to open up Wakanda.
- Unlikely, since Infinity War had even more foreigners visit the country, and he wasn't shown complaining.
- Maybe M'Baku could be resentful of all the destruction Thanos caused, and will think this makes T'Challa unfit to rule.
- Kraven the Hunter. Coogler expressed interest in using Kraven; while a deal would need to be done with Sony to make this happen (something that they don't seem too keen on), if the Venom movie flops note they might decide that the "Spider-Man Cinematic Universe" doesn't have legs after all - and might be more willing to get money for characters they aren't using.
- They could also cut a deal to have Kraven appear without screwing Sony out of the character or their desired franchise plans. In the comics, Kraven has Legacy Characters in the form of his son Alexei "Alyosha" Kravinoff and daughter Anastasia "Ana" Kravinoff. The MCU could take the original Kraven while Sony can have use his kids for their movies, or vice versa.
- This seems less likely now that Sony seems to have gotten more control over Spider-Man and related properties since the 2019 renegotiation, in addition to Venom doing financially well and being mixed-to-decently received among audiences, at least well enough for them to move forward with Morbius and Venom 2, both of which are set for 2020 releases.
- Aaron Taylor-Johnson has now been cast as Kraven for the solo movie, meaning Sony is definitely going forward with the project. That said, Sony seems very eager to have their movie franchise be connected in some manner to the MCU if Marvel Studios is willing to play ball with them.
- Namor, the Sub-Mariner. The sometimes-hero's rivalry with T'Challa after he invaded Wakanda is one of Black Panther's most prominent relationships in the comics; while the rights to Namor are tied up with Universal, if the situation is similar to that of the Hulk, it may be possible for Marvel to use Namor outside of his own solo movie.
- Confirmed!
- A revived Klaw, since his association with sound is heavily foreshadowed in the movie, so he can comeback as a sound elemental zombie.
- As proposed above, Achebe could revive Klaue and give him his powers.
- Or as another possibility, Klaw will be revealed to have family members in the same business who have all been plaguing Wakanda for decades.
- Going off the above, perhaps there's a Ulysses Klaue, Jr. out there, who will dub himself "Klaw" and don a costume like the character's from the comics. Such a thing could work with a daughter too.
- Malice... but as a Decomposite Character from Nakia. Instead of the Love Makes You Crazy aspect, she would be a former Dora Milaje exiled from Wakanda for betraying the king, who now seeks revenge. While she probably wouldn't work as a main villain, she would fit as an enforcer for a character like Achebe, similar to Crossbones or Nebula.
- She'll have a name that Everett Ross can misconstrue as "Malice", resulting in her name. Maybe something like Mallez.
- Alternatively, Nakia will commit a Face–Heel Turn to become Malice. But rather than the Love Makes You Crazy backstory from the comics, she will somehow become disillusioned with T'Challa for a political or personal reason.
- Flag-Smasher. His deal is that he views the concept of nations as corrupt and spreads anti-nationalism in the name of peace and equality...through terrorist attacks and other forms of violence. Now wouldn't that be an interesting contrast to T'Challa, who now wants to help the world through opening up his country and revealing their strength and resources? Flag-Smasher could view this as Wakanda unintentionally causing other nations to feel inferior, which could lead to international rivalries and potential wars.
- Flag Smashes were eventually used in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, (which also featured the Dora Milaje in an unrelated supporting role).
- W'Kabi, as a Composite Character with the original comics version of M'Baku.
- Mandrill, who admittedly would be something of a Rogues' Gallery Transplant, but hear me out. He'll be redone as an Evil Counterpart to T'Challa, a ruthless dictator in a nearby African nation who is fond of Bodyguard Babes and is a surprisingly capable combatant himself.
- Madam Slay, depicted as a challenger for the throne hailing from the Merchant tribe. She will be a Composite Character with the comics' version of Nakia, being a Yandere for T'Challa.
- In addition, Slay will be revealed to be the MCU's version of T'Challa's original love interest Monica Lynne. Mute will be either her Big Little Brother or her lover.
- The Supremacists, who will reimagined as a team of spies hired by a large company called Azania International to try and undermine Wakanda's efforts to help the world. As part of both the need for Adaptation Distillation and the required Setting Update, the members will be depicted as members of the "Alt-Right" who despise T'Challa and Shuri for trying to help impoverished black children in Oakland and, of course, tell them to go back to Africa.
The next film will involve a search for more Heart-Shaped Herbs.
- Almost correct. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever features the characters trying to reproduce the heart shape herb artificially via genetics.
T'Challa, Shuri, Nakia, and the Dora Milaje will travel to other countries for diplomatic purposes.
- Mostly Correct. Ramonda goes to Geneva. Shuri and Okoye goes to the USA. And in Haiti, Nakia is secretly raising her and T'Challa's son.
The ancestral plane will be brought up...
- ...in relation to T'Challa's death in Avengers: Infinity War.
- Mostly Jossed. While the Ancestral Plane does appear, it's only for Shuri's transformation into the Black Panther.
The movie will be about T'Challa getting the Fantastic Four to be a team and beat Norman Osbourne
Just think about it...John Krasinski as Reed Richards...Emily Blunt as Sue...Justin Bieber as Johnny...Alec Baldwin or some other as Thing aka Ben. And to top it al off Norman Osborn will become new Big bad of Phase For played by Mike Myers, also known as the Shrek baby from the memes! Wouldn't that be exactly what Creed director wants.- Jossed.
T'Challa will have severe PTSD from his death in Infinity War
There needs to be consequences, even if he comes back.- In the original pitch for 'Black Panther: Wakanda Forver'', T'Challa would be dealing with Infinity War's aftermath and his absence from ruling Wakanda for the last 5 years. Sadly, Chadwick Boseman's unexpected death in real life, forced the story to be rewritten.
The sequel won't be called Black Panther 2
It'll instead take an approach similar to the original Batman film series, going with something like Black Panther Strikes, Black Panther Reborn, Black Panther Unbound or something of that nature.- Ryan Coogler mentioned at D23 2019 that Black Panther II is just a working title, but the film will ultimately be called something else.
- Confirmed. The final title was ''Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Theories about casting possibilities
- Aneka
- Gabrielle Union
- Regina King
- Keesha Sharp
- Jada Pinkett Smith
- Rutina Wesley
- All Jossed. Aneka was portrayed by Michaela Coel
- Princess Zanda
- Naomie Harris
- Angela Griffin
- Aïssa Maïga
- Ella A. Thomas
- Naturi Naughton
- Jossed. No Princess Zanda
- Achebe
- Keith David
- Danny Glover
- Giancarlo Esposito
- Michael K. Williams
- Jossed. No Achebe
- Kraven the Hunter (just in the off chance Sony decides to drop the movie they're developing)
- Gerard Butler
- Travis Fimmel
- Jason Priestley
- Todd Stashwick
- Danny Trejo
- Jossed. Sony is separately adapting Kraven with Aaron Taylor-Johnson
- Madam Slay
- Kerry Washington
- Gugu Mbatha Raw
- Has actually been cast in the Loki Disney+ series, likely as a different character (Ravonna Ravenslayer)
- Christina Milian
- Saycon Sengbloh
- Sufe Bradshaw
- Jossed. No Madam Slay
- Malice (if they have her be a Decomposite Character like proposed above)
- Nathalie Emmanuel
- Kandyse McClure
- Liya Kebede
- Keri Hilson
- Kylie Bunbury
- Jossed. No Malice
- Flag-Smasher
- Gustaf Skarsgård
- Matthias Schoenaerts
- Pilou Asbæk
- Marat Oyvetsky
- Jossed. Flag-Smasher was tweaked to a Gender Flip version (Karli Morgenthau) in The Falcon and Winter Soldier, and was played by Erin Kellyman
- Namor the Sub-Mariner
- Both Jossed. Namor was played by Tenoch Huerta
Black Panther 2 will be set before Avengers: Infinity War.
Spider-Man: Far From Home aside, continuing beyond Avengers: Endgame is practically very difficult. Said sequel would likely be set a year after the first, but chronologically before Thor: Ragnarok.- Seems unlikely; most of the post-Infinity Saga films and Disney+ projects for Phase 4 are seemingly set to explore the aftermath of Endgame and move the overall narrative forward, both chronologically and in terms of story. Black Panther II coming out after Phase 4's ten or so different projects doesn't make a lot of sense for it to be a step back, and there's plenty of ample ground to cover in the MCU's post-Avengers, post-Blip world. What's become of W'Kabi and the Border Tribe? What's become of Wakanda's role in the world after going public? How do Wakandan Blip survivors like M'Baku feel about the country's involvement in world events that arguably resulted in the Blip, especially when their king and figurehead is a casualty? How might potentially hostile countries like the U.S. handle Wakanda coming out, especially if they've got their own team like the Thunderbolts at their disposal?
- Jossed.
Gentle/Nezhno Abidemi will appear
The Wakandan mutant will make an appearance, with his powers manifesting in public. This will prompt Storm to come to Wakanda to invite him to become an X-Men trainee, giving her a solid reason to appear in the film.- Jossed.
Marvel Studios will either replace Chadwick Boseman with The Other Darrin or just retires the character for Black Panther 2
- The passing of Chadwick Boseman left Marvel Studios in difficult situation since Feige states he was the only choice for the character, Marvel Studios must have to figuring out for the character of T’Challa.
- Similar to James Rhodes and Bruce Banner, they hires The Other Darrin to fill in the role and with one of character Lampshade Hanging about T’Challa look very different before he says it’s him.
- If they didn’t want to replace Chadwick Boseman, they could have T’Challa long Put on a Bus and have other character to fill in the role of Black Panther for future MCU movies.
- The most obvious option would be to have T'Challa die off-screen and give the throne and the role of Black Panther to Shuri. After all, the comics have her becoming the Black Panther at least temporarily.
- Plus in the comics, T'Challa had at one point a fatal brain aneurysm, so perhaps they can be true to life by stating that T'Challa had passed due to colon cancer. They could also have it serve as a rather poignant moment, by way of showing that sometimes there are certain "battles" that even superheroes can't win, as much as we want them to. But that shouldn't mean that we should stop trying.
- There is, of course, another option. Recasting Black Panther would be a Tough Act to Follow, and to kill a lead character off-screen would be rather anti-climactic at best, and in bad taste at worst. So? The Black Panther series of films is simply canceled.
- Perhaps they could follow the lead of Furious 7 and have T'Challa step down and retire into obscurity, avoiding the bad taste of killing him offscreen while explaining his disappearance from the movies.
- Add in, while we only saw the one heart-shaped herb being saved to be given to T'Challa later, another Black Panther could come about because one of the other attendants who was told to burn the herbs saved some, or there was a hidden room of them elsewhere in case of a fire in this ceremonial room.
- At the December 10th, 2020 Investor's Meeting, it was announced that Chadwick Boseman would not be recast as T'Challa, leaning more towards confirmation of the latter.
- T'Challa's character was properly written out in the sequel. While a multiverse variant of the character (played by The Other Darrin) could appear in the MCU, it's also possible T'Challa's son, T'Challa II will serve as the potential successor.
If Shuri doesn't become the Black Panther, it'll be someone else who may be even better for the role...
Namely, Okoye will be the next Black Panther. I don't know exactly how they'll make it work without making her Queen too, but maybe Ramonda and Shuri will give Okoye their blessing, or specifically request that she do it.- Shuri inherits the role.
There will be an In Memoriam sequence dedicated to both T'Challa and Chadwick Bosemen
Dedicated to the king of Wakanda and the man who brought him to life, Chadwick Boseman. Rest in Power your highness.- Boseman gets a silent tribute during Marvel's opening title card for the film and a proper tribute at the end of the film.
T'Challa and Nakia will have had a child pre-Blip.
This would be a great way to continue T'Challa's legacy, as well as making perfect sense. T'Challa and Nakia are implicitly in a relationship at the end of the first movie, and if they had a child pre-Blip, the child would be 5 years old by the second movie. This way, Shuri could be the Black Panther until the child is old enough to take the mantle.- They do have a secret son! However it's implied that Nakia gave birth around or after the Snap.
