Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, the second Black Panther film, is almost here. Directed by Ryan Coogler, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever will be released on Nov. 11, 2022, and among other things, it will be the first Black Panther film since the passing of Chadwick Boseman. Therefore, a large part of the movie will undoubtedly be sad as Wakanda mourns the loss of their Black Panther and we are reminded of Boseman’s passing.
Aside from the more emotionally devastating side of the film, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever will introduce Namor (Tenoch Huerta) and Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne) into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. And we cannot forget that it still takes place in the larger MCU, and therefore we might see characters from the other films appear, as well as characters from Marvel Comics who have not yet appeared in the MCU. So, let’s take a look at 10 characters who might appear in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
1. Bucky Barnes
Bucky Barnes, the former Winter Soldier, might appear in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. The World War II veteran is played by Sebastian Stan in the MCU. Bucky Barnes is specifically tied to the Black Panther, as every live-action appearance of T’Challa, the Black Panther, was also accompanied by an appearance from Barnes. Originally a soldier alongside Steve Rogers, Bucky became the Winter Soldier, an unstoppable assassin, after Hydra brainwashed him.
If they show T’Challa’s funeral in the upcoming film, it would be surprising if Bucky did not show up for it, to show respect for the man who sheltered him and allowed him to have time away from the world. If it wasn’t for T’Challa’s guilt after he tried to hunt Bucky down, Barnes probably would have been taken to prison where he might have become a villain rather than the hero we see in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.
2. Storm
With Black Panther: Wakanda Forever introducing Namor, one of the first mutants and confirmed to be a mutant in the MCU, it would not be beyond the pale to introduce one of the X-Men, Storm. Ororo Munroe, aka Storm, is a mutant who can manipulate the weather, and she was played by Halle Berry in Fox’s X-Men films.
Storm has had a history with Black Panther and Namor in the comic books, so even if she isn’t introduced in this film, she will most likely be connected to those characters in the future. In fact, at one point in the comic books, she was married to the Black Panther, making her queen of Wakanda. It is unlikely that they will do that storyline now unless she falls in love with whoever becomes Black Panther next.
3. Erik Killmonger
Played by Michael B. Jordan in the original Black Panther, Erik Killmonger could appear in the sequel. Killmonger was the antagonist of the first film, responsible for the death of Ulysses Klaw (Andy Serkis), and he almost killed T’Challa, briefly taking the role of King of Wakanda and the power of the Black Panther after doing so. Even though he died at the end of the original film, he could make his way into a scene in the sequel.
In the first film, T’Challa was able to talk to his father using the ancestral plane of the Black Panther. Similarly, Killmonger was able to talk to his father as well. We could see a return to this plane in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and have Killmonger greet whoever the next Black Panther is when they take the plant. Of course, if it is Shuri (Letitia Wright) we could also see her and T’Challa’s father T’Chaka (John Kani) appear to set her on the path. It would be very unlikely to see a CGI version of T’Challa for that, though.
4. Doctor Doom
While seemingly debunked a while ago, the ruler of Latveria and the arch-nemesis of the Fantastic Four, Victor von Doom could easily make an appearance in the film. Doctor Doom is one of those characters who is naturally tied to the nation of Wakanda because he runs a nation himself. It helps that the MCU seems to be setting up Doctor Doom as the villain who takes over after Kang the Conqueror, especially as a Fantastic Four film is in the works.
Recently, whether or not Black Panther: Wakanda Forever had a post-credits scene was revealed. And as of the premiere, it seems like the film does not have a post-credits scene. But it would not be the first time that Marvel would edit a scene ahead of its official release, as the original Nick Fury post-credits scene in Iron Man was not in the original previews for the film, but included for its theatrical release.
5. James ‘Rhodey’ Rhodes
Played by Don Cheadle in the MCU, James ‘Rhodey’ Rhodes might have the best chances of any character on this list to appear in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Rhodey has been in the MCU since its inception, albeit he was recast. A renowned officer in the Air Force and best friend to Tony Stark, Rhodey donned the War Machine armor in Iron Man 2, taking on the Iron Patriot moniker briefly in Iron Man 3 and losing the ability to walk in Captain America: Civil War.
Rhodey appeared in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and he is set to appear in Armor Wars. Armor Wars was originally slated as a Disney Plus series, but it has since been changed to an upcoming film. The reason he could appear in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is that the film will introduce Riri Williams, a girl who iterates upon Tony Stark’s Iron Man designs to create her own suit, Ironheart. While she will star in her own series, it’s likely that Rhodey might be sent by the U.S. government to make sure that an Iron Man suit is not in the wrong hands.
6. Krang
One character who has not yet been introduced in the MCU, who might appear in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, is Krang. First appearing in Fantastic Four Annual #1 in 1963, Krang was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. Krang was a Namor villain who plotted to steal his throne. Interestingly, Krang could prove intricate to the plot of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever if Namor does not turn out to be the main villain.
Krang used Iron Man suits in the comic books to try and take over Atlantis and defeat Namor. This could easily be adapted in the film, but instead, he steals one of Ironheart’s suits. Although this is highly unlikely, if he were to be in the upcoming film, he would most likely be one of the members of Talocan or an Atlantean, as he would be in the comics and just have a small role in the background.
7. Orka
This character might be the least likely to appear in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, but it would be pretty funny if Orka made the cut. First appearing in Sub-Mariner #23 in 1970, Orka was created by Roy Thomas and Marie Severin. The character was one of Krang’s henchmen who became a mercenary after he was imbued with the power of a killer whale. Therefore, he looks like an Atlantean wearing the body of a killer whale, so he might not be the best fit for the somewhat realistic tone of the MCU. But it would be pretty funny if we saw him in the background of one of the scenes in Talocan, so let’s hope he appears.
8. Captain America
It would not be too surprising if Sam Wilson, Captain America, were to show up in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Of course, after Avengers: Endgame, Steve Rogers gave Sam Wilson permission to carry on his legacy as the new Captain America, which he accepted in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.
In the comic books, Captain America and the Black Panther have always had a relationship based on mutual respect, one that was shown through T’Challa and Steve’s interactions in the MCU. Hopefully, this continues in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever with Sam showing up to pay respects to the nation of Wakanda, and to the new Black Panther.
9. Stingray
Stingray is yet another character from Marvel Comics who has not yet made an appearance in the MCU. First appearing as Stingray in Sub-Mariner #19, he was created by Roy Thomas and Bill Everett. Walter Newell aka Stingray, was an oceanographer who created a suit to replicate the abilities of a manta ray, not to be confused with the DC Aquaman villain Black Manta.
Usually, Stingray was a hero, and he was even made an Avenger at one point. If he appears, he most likely would not be a lead character, but if Wakanda brings in an oceanographer to help them locate Talocan, there is no reason why Marvel should not use Walter Newell.
10. Baron Zemo
Another character who has a reasonable chance of appearing in the upcoming film is Baron Helmut Zemo. Played by Daniel Brühl in the MCU, Baron Zemo was first introduced in Captain America: Civil War, which was also Black Panther’s first appearance. We have not seen Zemo since he was imprisoned in the Raft in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. But it is possible that he could escape, or that we could get a post-credits teaser or throwaway line referencing such an escape. While he was not showing much of his villainous side in the series, he could easily seek revenge on Wakanda or Shuri for T’Challa capturing him in Captain America: Civil War.
It would be surprising if more than a few of these characters show up in the film, as Black Panther: Wakanda Forever will probably not have the cameo storm that Spider-Man: No Way Home or Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness had. But we will not have to wait much longer to find out, as Black Panther: Wakanda Forever will be coming to theaters on Nov. 11, 2022.