Was Killmonger a villain? This question has been debated back and forth ever since Black Panther hit theaters in 2018, with some seeing the character as a ruthless antagonist whose violent actions were necessary, and others believing he was no more than a cold-blooded killer using the plight of his people as an excuse to amass more power.
It's an interesting discussion, for sure, and actor Michael B. Jordan has now made his feelings on the matter very clear.
During an interview with Bleacher Report, the Creed star was asked for his take on Killmonger's status as a villain. "No... he cared about his people just as much as T'Challa. He just had a different way of going about getting it done."
Jordan returned to voice Eric Killmonger for the animated What If...? Disney+ series, but there have been persistent rumors that the actor may reprise the role in live-action for the upcoming Black Panther sequel. This always seemed like a long shot considering the character died at the end of the first film, but a new report claims to shed some light on how T'Challa's nemesis could be brought back.
Possible SPOILERS for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever follow.
According to Screen Geek, Killmonger will not return in physical form, but will appear as a spirit guide, of sorts, in the Ancestral Plane as a "mentor to a young hero." The source may be sketchy, but this does actually line-up with something KC Walsh (who has a far better track record) mentioned during a recent podcast appearance.
This "young hero" could be several different characters, including Shuri (Letitia Wright), but something tells is it'll turn out to be... yeah, that's also a potentially major spoiler, so click here if you want to know more!