A leaked Funko Pop for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever has revealed the titular hero’s new suit – and further teased who could be wearing it in the sequel.
Wakanda Forever, the highly-anticipated follow-up to 2018’s Black Panther, faced an uncertain future following the death of its lead star Chadwick Boseman.
While the world mourned the actor, the inevitable question of who’d take on the mantle arose. Here’s what we know: Marvel hasn’t recast the role of T’Challa, and somebody else will become Black Panther in the movie.
Now, the question is: who will it be? Well, there’s good reason to believe we already know, if this Funko Pop is anything to go by.
Leaked Wakanda Forever Funko Pop shows new Black Panther suit
Images of four Funko Pops from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever were posted on Instagram by @pops_and_pops, which were then shared by @dis.trackers and @BRMarvelNews.
Along with Namor, Attuma, and Queen Ramonda, one of the Pops is based on the updated Black Panther suit. Some aspects of the design are the same, such as the claw necklace, but there are two notable additions: gold trim and silver dots over the face.
The dots further indicate the identity of the new Black Panther: Shuri, played by Letitia Wright, who also had white dots on her face as part of her makeup in the first film, and they were glimpsed again in the trailer for the sequel.
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This also comes after photos of a Wakanda Forever LEGO set seemed to tease Shuri taking on the Black Panther mantle.
Letitia Wright says she’s “sworn to secrecy” on Black Panther 2
During an appearance on The Tonight Show, Wright was asked about the identity of the next Black Panther, but said she was “sworn to secrecy.”
“Well, firstly I can tell you, you know, the first movie did so well. You know, we made a cultural impact and change. And this film is… We’re trying to follow that you know, of inspiring everybody that goes to see it,” she said.
“We have new cast members, such as Dominique Thorne, Michaela Coel. So it’s jam-packed with lots of adventures.
“But… I feel, for me, it’s a beautiful contribution to Chadwick’s legacy. I feel like it’s a love letter to him. I know every day that I went on set, I focused my energy… on each scene to dedicate it to him. I wanted to dedicate excellence to this film so that he could be proud.”
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is due for release on November 11, 2022.
