Phase Four of The Marvel Cinematic Universe has been pretty wild so far, thanks to ambitious projects on the small and silver screens. One of the most highly anticipated upcoming Marvel movies is definitely Ryan Coogler’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. And actor Daniel Kaluuya recently reacted to the sequels’ trailer, and his absence from the upcoming Marvel movie.
Get Out star Daniel Kaluuya played a supporting role in the first Black Panther movie as W’Kabi, who is T’Challa’s best friend, Okoye’s partner and the head of security of the Border tribe. Unfortunately he’ll be missing from Wakanda Forever, as his schedule for filming Jordan Peele’s Nope conflicted with the massive Marvel blockbuster. The first sequel has gotten a ton of views, and Kaluuya was recently asked by Variety if he’d seen the limited footage. He responded enthusiastically with:
Of course, I’ve seen it! It’s amazing.
Same, though. At the time of writing this story the first trailer for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever has a whopping 36 million views. While it was careful not to reveal too much about the movie’s contents, the anticipation for the next Marvel blockbuster is at a fever pitch. And Daniel Kaluuya is just as excited as the rest of us to see it play out on the big screen. Luckily we’re fast approaching that movie’s release this fall.
The emotional stakes of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is clear from the movie’s first footage. We see various characters weeping, seemingly over the death of T’Challa. With the cast mourning Chadwick Boseman’s death in the real world, smart money says these performances are going to be powerful. We’ll just have to wait and see if W’Kabi is referenced throughout the course of its mysterious runtime.
Later in that same interview with Variety, Daniel Kaluuys was asked how he felt about having to sit out Black Panther: Wakanda Forever thanks to the shooting schedule on Nope. That acclaimed horror movie was a hit at the box office, but came at the expense of his return to the MCU. But Kaluuya doesn’t seem to have any sore feelings, saying:
It’s what’s best for the story, what’s best for the film. I’m excited for it. I’m excited to watch it.
We’ll just have to wait and see if Daniel Kaluuya ever returns to the MCU. He and Lupita Nyong’o’s Nakia were noticeably missing from the wild crossover events of Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame. And with no role in Wakanda Forever, fans are going to have to keep being patient. As a reminder, you can see the first trailer for the upcoming sequel below,
Set to Tems’ moody cover of “No Woman No Cry,” the trailer for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever teased both new and returning characters. The titular fictional country will seemingly face an invasion from the sea, led by Tenoch Huerta’s Namor.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever will hit theaters on November 11th. In the meantime, check out the 2022 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience.
