The first trailer for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever was released at Marvel Studios’ Hall H at San Diego Comic-Con on Saturday. Entertainment Weekly reports that director Ryan Coogler unveiled the trailer after he took the time to address the loss of Chadwick Boseman. “Chad is no longer with us physically,” Coogler said, “but his spirit, his passion, his genius, his pride, his culture, and the impact that he made on this industry will be felt forever. We put our love for Chadwick into this film.” Boseman died in 2020 after a long battle with colon cancer, and ultimately his role as T’Challa was not recast.
‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ Trailer Introduces New Black Panther
The new Wakanda Forever trailer opens with a sad rendition of Bob Marley’s “No Woman No Cry,” and it features Shuri (Letitia Wright) and Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett) grieving over their lost brother and son. However, the music transitions to Kendrick Lamar’s “Alright,” and the battle sequences that we can expect from the upcoming Black Panther sequel take center stage. But the biggest moment comes at the end when we see the image of a new Black Panther with their face hidden. The person who is to take over T’Challa’s role remains a mystery.
The new trailer also introduces Namor, who Polygon explains is the undersea king of Atlantis. In the comics, Namor bears a grudge against the surface world that puts him at odds with the Marvel heroes, especially T’Challa. Polygon also explains that this will mark the end of the MCU’s Phase 4, which kicked off with the Disney+ streaming series WandaVision in 2021.
While the new trailer is certainly exciting, it will be difficult for many viewers to see the film without T’Challa present. Chadwick Boseman’s family felt the late actor would have wanted the role to be recast, but the team behind the film felt Boseman was T’Challa, and the character couldn’t continue with a different actor. We will see if that decision pays off when Black Panther: Wakanda Forever hits theaters on November 11.
