Black Panther: Wakanda Forever will reflect Chadwick Boseman’s real-life passing later this year by showing us how the titular nation grapples with the death of its beloved King T’Challa. In other words, the country’s surviving leaders will have to take on all new roles in order to keep their citizens safe. And one of these leaders is none other than M’Baku, with Winston Duke reprising his role from the original film. While speaking with ComicBook.com, Duke explained how M’Baku will adjust to Wakanda’s new status quo. He also teased how the Blip’s aftermath changed the way he sees the world at large.
Duke discussed his role in Wakanda Forever shortly after Marvel screened new footage of the sequel at the D23 Expo. As it turns out, Namor isn’t the only threat the Wakandans will face this fall. As we saw at the end of the first movie, the country’s technological advancements are no longer a secret to the rest of the world. But with T’Challa gone, other nations see this as a chance to steal Wakanda’s vibranium deposits by force. And this forces M’Baku to honor the fallen king’s legacy in ways he never expected.
“I think M’Baku is forced to catch up with the times,” said Duke. “His role has changed. He survived The Snap, he is now a part of the Tribal Council so he’s more forward-facing and less insular. So he’s been forced to really be a part of the collective transparency. I think that’s a really cool thing for him and you get to see a whole new dynamic including him.”
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“[M’Baku] is no longer the insular leader, he’s learning how to move forward,” continued Duke. “So he has a very large, wide, macro lens as to what’s happening and I think we get to see more of that, and see how much that impacts him.”
Clearly, M’Baku has come a long way from leading the Jabari tribe in isolation. But now that his people have formally re-joined Wakanda proper, he has more responsibilities to uphold. Whether that means he’s the one sporting the vibranium suit at the end of the sequel’s first trailer remains to be seen. Regardless, Duke hints that viewers will have plenty of mesmerizing scenery to chew on when the movie finally arrives in theaters.
“What I’m most excited for fans to see is how much more Wakanda there is,” added Duke. “There’s just so much more than the first movie, and that’s exciting.”
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever will hit the big screen on November 11.
Are you excited to see Duke return as M’Baku in the sequel? Let us know in the comment section below!
Recommended Reading: Black Panther: A Nation Under Our Feet Book 1
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