Black Panther 2: Wakanda Forever trailer shows how MCU will carry forward Chadwick Boseman's legacy

San Diego Comic Con saw Marvel giving us a peek into what Phase 4 and Phase 5 of the MCU will look like. In addition to announcing two new Avengers films set to release in 2025 - Avengers: Secret Wars and Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, the teaser-trailer for _Black Panther 2: Wakanda Forever_ was also released at the convention. It got a thunderous response from those who happened to watch it at the convention, so much so that they played it twice. The 2 minute 11 second teaser trailer is full of action, emotion and a gut-wrenching tribute to late actor Chadwick Boseman that will surely move you to tears. For the uninitiated, Black Panther 2 has been plagued by multiple setbacks starting with the tragic demise of Boseman due to colon cancer in August 2020. The Covid-19 pandemic played spoilsport as multiple actors tested positive on set. Letitia Wright who plays Shuri, T’Challa’s sister, suffered an injury on the sets because of which the production was shut down in 2021. Despite suffering multiple setbacks, the cast and crew of Black Panther 2 showed incredible grit and courage. They bounced back and completed the film and paid a fitting emotional tribute to Boseman and carried his legacy forward. That alone is their biggest win. There were, of course, many moments in the trailer that stood out - from new characters being introduced to hints about who might be the next Black Panther. Here’s a complete breakdown of the trailer that has the world by chokehold.

Gut-Wrenching Tribute To Chadwick Boseman

From the trailer, it is apparent that Black Panther 2 will not only address T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman’s) death but also honour him by giving him a near-perfect send-off. The trailer opens with what seems like a funeral to T’Challa with all the Wakandans dressed in white as they dance - a practice often seen across funerals in various African tribes. In lockdown 2020, the dancing pallbearers meme went viral. Benjamin, one of the members of the dancing Ghana pallbearers group, explained why some African funerals are marked with dance and celebration - “We need people to know that there’s life after death. We need to celebrate the dead and not mourn it. For me, when a person dies, you know what the person meant to you and that is why we must celebrate them. We need to mourn the person who is coming into this world - we don’t know if he will be a lawyer or a thief and how long he’ll live.” It speaks volumes that director Ryan Coogler chose to address Boseman’s demise (and therefore, T’Challa’s demise) in the film and honoured him with a powerful eulogy. Somewhere in the middle, we also see T’Challa’s mural in the backdrop as two African drummers engage in dancing and merry-making. In the background, Bob Marley’s classic hit No Woman No Cry and Kendrick Lamar’s Alright plays in unison - the beat of the drums gets louder with each passing second as the action on-screen gets more intense. Each second feels more powerful than the previous. The action culminates with Black Panther’s claws coming out in one sequence. The trailer ends with words ‘Wakanda Forever’ appearing on the screen. The last thirty seconds of the trailer shows what Black Panther 2, is a roller coaster ride full of thrill, emotions and nail-biting action.

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It would, of course, be a cardinal sin to not mention just how powerful Angela Bassett, who plays Mother Ramonda, was in the trailer. For the uninitiated, the mid-credits scene of Black Panther 1 showed T’Challa appear before the United Nations to reveal the true nature of Wakanda to the world. In Black Panther 2 trailer, we see Queen Mother of Wakanda, Ramonda, appear before the UN after T’Challa’s death, as she says, ‘I am Queen of the most powerful nation in the world and my entire family is gone.’ She adds, ‘Have I not given everything?’. The pain and anguish in Bassett’s voice coupled with the rage and anger on her face will give you goosebumps. It is apparent from the trailer that Ramonda is shaken to the core after losing T’Challa and Bassett has done a commendable job portraying the pain and emotional damage that Ramonda has suffered. Needless to say, MCU is giving Boseman the time and space that the legend deserves by immortalizing him in the form of a mural and a powerful eulogy presumably delivered by Queen Mother of Wakanda at the UN. Black Panther 2 appears to have struck a balance between action and emotion and seems like a serious film - a welcome move given the recent criticism around how humour is playing spoilsport in the recent MCU films, most recently _Thor: Love and Thunder_. It is safe to say that Marvel will carry Boseman’s legacy forward by giving T’Challa a fitting farewell and giving him a gut-wrenching tribute.

Who’s The Next Black Panther?

The trailer also dropped hints about who might become the next Black Panther. The rumour mills are abuzz that it will likely be Shuri, T’Challa’s sister, played by Letitia Wright or Nakia, T’Challa’s former lover and a War Dog, played by Lupita Nyong’o. In one of the scenes in trailer, we see the throne room set ablaze and flooded as Shuri stands in the middle - an imagery which was seen during Killmonger’s ascension to the throne in Black Panther 1. Needless to say, there will be many who will stake claim to the throne, including M’Baku who locked horns with T’Challa in the previous installment. It will be interesting to see who T’Challa’s successor will be.

New Characters On The Horizon

The trailer also shows the birth of a new character who happens to have fins on his feet. It is apparent that the new character is Namor, the King of Atlantis and the anti-hero of Black Panther 2, who will lock horns with the Wakandans. Played by Tenoch Huerta, Namor, as per the comics, is a sea-faring hero who can speak to ocean denizens and breathe underwater, in addition to swimming with ease. Namor is also capable on land and his super strength makes him a great fighter and a tough nut to crack for the Wakandans.

Another character introduced in the film is Riri Williams, also known as Ironheart, played by actress Dominique Thorne. We see Williams greet Shuri and if rumour mills are to be believed, she will build something powerful which will not only help her fill Iron Man’s shoes but also help Wakandans find Namor.

Black Panther 2 will hit the theatres on November 11 and will serve as the conclusion of Phase 4 of the MCU.

Deepansh Duggal is an entertainment, pop-culture and trends writer based in New Delhi. He specializes in op-eds based on the socio-political and gender issues in the world of entertainment and showbiz. He also writes explainers and occasionally reviews shows in the OTT space. He tweets at @Deepansh75. 

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