It’s no secret that the Marvel Cinematic Universe is an absolutely huge place full of stories on both the small and silver screen. But several objects stand out as fan favorites, including Ryan Coogler’s “Black Panther.” The growing franchise returned to theaters with the movie “Wakanda Forever”, which became another box office success and a critical hit. The film also had several unexpected cameos, including the appearance of Michael B. Jordan as a Killmonger. And the actor/director recently talked about keeping his role in Black Panther 2 a secret and how Creed III influenced it.
Michael B. Jordan’s performance as a Killmonger in the first “Black Panther” has received universal recognition, and he is one of the most beloved villains in the entire general universe. Fans were hoping to see him return to Wakanda Forever, which happened thanks to a meeting on the Ancestral Plane with Letitia Wright’s brother-in-law. Now that the film has been released for several months, he can freely talk about the scene, appearing on the “Tonight Show” with Jimmy Fallon. He mentioned the secrecy surrounding his return to Black Panther, saying:
It’s hard, you know? I think this time it’s about because we lost our brother Chadwick. Rest in peace, Chadwick Boseman. And it was such a lot of weight and just an attempt to break through, you know? Ryan Coogler had a huge task — to develop the script and the story in a way that still honored Chadwick, but also moved the franchise forward. So in order for me to come back, I had to really keep it a secret. I had to grow my hair back, get my curls back and stuff like that. And you know, I travel a lot, so I have to wear a hat, a hoodie, play alone — which is not so bad. But keeping it a secret was very difficult.
Sounds right. The MCU is known for its strict security system, and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever was no exception. And therefore, the process of returning a character who has already died as a Killmonger is fraught with a lot of nuances. And that includes countless eyes looking at Michael B. Jordan as well as his appearance. After all, the Killmonger has a signature hairstyle that he had to recreate.
Michael B. Jordan’s comments on Jimmy Fallon help to lift the veil on what it’s like to work in the Marvel cinematic universe. And although the security of the shared universe made his “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” scene a top secret affair, there was one positive moment: the set was shot directly by Creed III. In addition to starring in this triquel, he will also make his directorial debut in the upcoming blockbuster. Jordan talked about this silver lining, saying:
Yes, we were both filming in Atlanta at the same time, so it was a little easier to be able to jump out of the studio, but it was hard to keep it a secret.
Given Michael B. Jordan’s several works in Creed III, the production of “Black Panther 2” in the same city undoubtedly helped simplify his scene on the Ancestral Plane. And it’s a good thing that everything worked out; this sequence turned out to be one of the biggest twists in Ryan Coogler’s second Marvel work. And it also helped him connect the events of the first film even more.
You can see Michael B. Jordan’s full performance on The Tonight Show below:
It should be interesting to see if Killmonger appears in the third Black Panther movie. In Wakanda culture, no one ever really leaves. And it certainly seems like Ancestral Plane could be a McGuffin to justify another Michael B. Jordan comeback. We’ll just have to wait and see how it all shakes out.
“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” will be released on Disney+ on February 1. The next Marvel movie to be released in theaters will be Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantum Mania, which will be released on February 17. In the meantime, check out the movie’s release dates in 2023 to plan your next movie.
