The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a massive place, but a few franchises stand out as fan favorites. Ryan Coogler’s Black Panther is in that category, which is why Wakanda Forever was the most hotly anticipated upcoming Marvel movie ahead of its release. Coogler left a number of questions for fans after the acclaimed sequel, especially related to the future of the fictional country’s leadership. And a deleted Black Panther 2 scene had a different character in mind to replace Angela Bassett’s Queen Ramonda.
One of the most heartbreaking scenes in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever came when Queen Ramonda was killed by Namor while saving Riri Williams. In addition to earning Bassett an Oscar nomination, this plot twist once again left the Wakandan throne open. While the ending of Black Panther 2 hinted that M’Baku might be the next King, a deleted scene from IGN shows that there’s another contender: Danai Gurira’s Okoye. Check out the sequence for yourself below:
Queen Okoye? Watch this exclusive deleted scene from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, available on digital February 1. pic.twitter.com/qIE9fdnCn4January 30, 2023
Well, my mind is blown. It looks like the Border Tribe might help to install Okoye as Queen of Wakanda. Of course, she’d first have to do the traditional duel, presumably in a battle against Winston Duke’s M’Baku. We’ll just have to wait and see if this matchup ever actually happens in the main MCU timeline; Ryan Coogler might have different plans for Black Panther 3 sometime down the line. Only time will tell.
The above clip from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever seemingly opens up new narrative doors for Okoye. Fans were shocked when Queen Ramonda removed her from the Dora Milaje, although she did end up getting some awesome gear as a Midnight Angel. And it seems like she just might end up taking the Throne herself, although it would no doubt be another fight for power within the fictional country. But as his scene points out, she’d likely have the support of the people themselves.
Prior to the release of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Letitia Wright’s Shuri seemed like the logical choice to lead the country and become the next Panther. While she would indeed recreate the heart-shaped herb and become a superhero, T’Challa’s younger sister didn’t actually take the throne. M’Baku’s final scene setup that he could rule, but now it seems like he might have some competition. How long do we have to wait for a threequel?
Of course, the future leadership of Wakanda is made all the more complicated given Black Panther 2’s post-credits scene. In the emotional sequence it was revealed that T’Challa and Nakia actually had a son. And as such, he might have a claim to the throne once he gets a bit older and leaves Haiti for Wakanda. The succession of leadership was a huge plot point in the first movie, so it wouldn’t be surprising if the third movie returned to form in this way
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever will hit Disney+ on February 1st, and the next MCU movie hitting theaters is Ant-Man 3 on February. In the meantime, check out the 2023 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience.
