What we need to know about Wakanda Forever: Who replaces T’Challa? What’s Namor’s deal? Why is Ironheart here? And more

He was alive and well when we last saw him, kicking much alien ass in . Chadwick Boseman died unexpectedly in 2020, which threw all the plans for the sequel out the window. Director Ryan Coogler refused to recast T’Challa, so he wrote T’Challa’s death into the sequel. Disney has confirmed the new movie takes place a year after T’Challa’s death. So, how did it happen? In the latest trailer, Okoye says, “It was his choice.” If T’Challa sacrificed himself for the good of Wakanda, that would be on brand. We need details.

The trailers make it look as if Shuri has taken over the role of Protector of Wakanda. But, some fans have pointed out that the Black Panther isn’t “shaped” like her. Granted, that could be the uncanniness of CGI, or it could be misogyny. Or, the new Black Panther could be someone else. Nakia is close in size, but Okoye and Ramonda are too tall, while M’Baku is too … wide? That wild theory we mentioned earlier? The new Black Panther is a variant of Erik Killmonger, but as svelte as Michael B. Jordan is, it doesn’t look like him, either.

At the end of Black Panther, T’Challa was determined to share Wakanda’s knowledge and resources with the world. How far did Wakanda get with this goal before T’Challa and Shuri blipped away for five years? How did Queen Ramonda continue the outreach program while they were gone? Given the trailer scene of Queen Ramonda railing at some international Council, it apparently hasn’t been a smooth process. That’s not surprising; the world is greedy and selfish, even at 50% capacity. More so, probably.

As , portrayed by Tenoch Huerta, is as much the protector of his people, the Talakonil, as the Black Panther is of Wakanda. The flooding of Wakanda in the trailers strongly suggests that Namor can emerge from and control any body of water. In the comics, Wakanda and Talokan (it’s “Atlantis” in the comics) have a long, often acrimonious history, so we’re interested to see how much of that shows up in the movie. Attuma, a Talakonil warrior who is Namor’s nemesis/rival in the comic books, is also a character in the film. So, Namor could be fighting battles on multiple fronts. In the last trailer, he says, “I need to know if Wakanda is an enemy or an ally,” but against what? Again, we’re betting that it has to do with the consequences of Wakanda dealing with all the greedy, greedy Westerners. You know how we are.

We’re looking forward to learning more about Talokan, Namor’s underwater realm. We know Marvel and Coogler based the civilization on the Aztec myth of an underworld/paradise for those who drowned or were struck dead by lightning while on the sea. What does the realm of Talokan look like? How do the citizens move around and communicate with each other down there? Honestly, though, what we really want to know is how much it’ll look like Atlantis in DC’s Aquaman. We’re hoping, nay, praying, that because this is Marvel, the name change and culture switch will mean less Day-Glo and fewer fluorescent lights.

We doubt Marvel will pass up one last opportunity or two to pull the Multiverse into Phase Four. There aren’t any significant hints in the trailers, but fan theories abound on how it will happen. Since Namor was Marvel’s first mutant, this would be a great time to bring in some others (cough, X-Men). In the meantime, we’ll watch out for Dr. Strange or America Chavez. There’s always the mid-credit scene(s), too. There are plenty of chances for Marvel to use the multiverse to show us what’s coming next.

, and we’re even more curious now. Seriously, what does Riri Williams bring to the table that Shuri couldn’t do or build herself? Then again, you can’t really have too many super-genius Black girls in one country, can you? That’s rhetorical. Coogler has said that Shuri and Riri’s relationship is a vital part of Wakanda Forever’s story, and we’re looking forward to seeing how that unfolds.

The beach. Interesting, since Wakanda is a landlocked country. Or at least it used to be—if these scenes are in Wakanda, is the beach a result of the flooding Namor caused? If these scenes aren’t in Wakanda, where are they and why? Whatever is going on, everyone seems pretty tense.

We hope there’s an excellent explanation, like Shuri made the Black Panther suit into, as Tony Stark called the Iron Man armor, “a high-tech prosthesis.” We’ll also accept, with a bit of side-eye to the shock expressed in Black Panther that Kilmonger destroyed the entire supply, that there was actually a hidden herb field somewhere else. Because, hello, there should be!

Wakanda Forever is one of the most eagerly anticipated films of the year, and it has a lot of expectations attached to it. Coogler says the film will honor both Boseman and T’Challa, but that requires a delicate balance to still serve the overall story without feeling false or forced. More added pressure: Black Panther made $1.3 billion in pre-pandemic 2018, making it the fifth Marvel movie to break the billion-dollar mark. Marvel movies have (understandably) made much less money since the pandemic, but will this sequel be compelling enough to get enough people to the theater to break that trend, even with the near three-hour run time? Marvel fans are pretty loyal, so it’s not a huge worry. We’re excited to see how well this film rewards their loyalty.