Though it's yet to be made official, the prevailing theory is that we will see someone else take up the mantle of Black Panther in the upcoming sequel following the tragic death of T'Challa actor Chadwick Boseman, and the current betting odds favor Shuri.
MyBookie is now taking bets on which character is destined to become the Black Panther, and T'Chall's little sister is the heavy favorite at -175. She's followed by Nakia at +175, Okoye at +350, the Field (any other possibility that's not listed) at +400, Erik Killmonger at +500, M’Baku at +600, W’Kabi at +700, and Bucky Barnes at +1000.
Shuri (Letitia Wright) has served as Black Panther in the comics, and always seemed like the most logical choice to continue her brother's legacy. Marvel might decide to shake things up a bit and go with a less obvious pick, but if anyone is going to step up as Wakanda's new protector, our money's on the princess. We certainly wouldn't be placing any bets on the Winter Soldier!
Marvel Studios announced that the highly-anticipated sequel will be titled Black Panther: Wakanda Forever during a recent Phase 4 preview. Specific plot details remain under wraps, but a brief logline tells us that "Wakanda Forever will continue to explore the incomparable world of Wakanda and all of the rich and varied characters introduced in the first film."
Ryan Coogler is back on board as writer and director for Wakanda Forever, which will be released on July 8, 2022.