Marvel has released the much-anticipated first trailer for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
The trailer for the sequel debuted at the end of Marvel Studios’ panel at the San Diego Comic-Con on Saturday evening (23 July).
The annual comic book convention and entertainment event is taking place over this weekend in San Diego, California from 21 July to 24 July.
The subject of Ryan Coogler’s sequel to the critically acclaimed 2018 Black Panther was one of the biggest subjects of the panel.
Introduced by a group of traditional African singers, the trailer – which is soundtracked to a lyrical motif of “We gonna be alright” from Kendrick Lamar’s hit song “Alright” – has impressed fans.
The clip shows images of Wakanda (the franchise’s fictional setting) aquatic environments. One scene also depicts what appears to be a funeral with crowds of Wakandans dressed in white.
Many fans have assumed the funeral procession will be for the character of T’Challa, who was played by the late Chadwick Boseman.
Boseman died of cancer aged 43 in August 2020.
(Marvel / YouTube)
President of Marvel Studios Kevin Feige previously stated that Boseman’s role would not be recast because his portrayal is “iconic and transcends any iteration of the character in any other medium from Marvel’s past”.
The question lingering then is who will take over the Black Panther mantle? To the dismay of fans, the trailer does not answer this question.
At the end of the clip, a figure is seen in the hero’s iconic suit but it is not possible to see who is in the costume.
At Comic-Con, writer-director Coogler said that the sequel “goes to new places in Wakanda that we haven’t seen before and it goes to new places in the Marvel Cinematic Universe”.
He also reflected on the death of Boseman and his impact on the original film.
“It’s going to be hard to follow that up, but we’ll try,” Coogler said. “It’s been five years since I was here. I sat about there and we premiered the first footage from Black Panther 1 and sitting next to me was our T’Challa, the late great Chadwick Boseman.”
Black Panther stars Lupita Nyong’o, Letitia Wright, Danai Gurira, Florence Kasuma, and Winston Duke were introduced by Coogler on stage.
I May Destroy You star Michaela Coel is among the franchise newcomers who also include Dominique Thorn, Mabel Cadena, Tenoch Huerta, and Alex Nivilani.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is scheduled for a theatrical release on 11 November.
Elsewhere at Comic-Con, Andrew Lincoln and Danai Gurira made a surprise appearance at the Walking Dead panel where it was revealed that the previously announced Walking Dead film trilogy starring Lincoln’s Rick Grimes was cancelled – but replaced with something else.
Keanu Reeves also made a surprise appearance to debut the “insane” first trailer for John Wick 4.
