Lupita Nyong'o Won't Reveal Who The New Black Panther Is

"Black Panther" had an incredible soundtrack, a distinct visual style, and a powerful message about family, identity, and responsibility at its core. After Chadwick Boseman's tragic passing, it was almost impossible to imagine a sequel, but "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" is shaping up to be a poignant tribute to the late actor's memory. Although director Ryan Coogler is keeping the film's plot under wraps, we can glean a few things from the trailer. Although the central conflict isn't apparent, it's easy to see that Wakanda is still grieving T'Challa (Chadwick Boseman). As Wakanda gears up to face a new threat looming on the horizon, Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett), Shuri (Letitia Wright), and Nakia (Lupita Nyong'o) are left to help the nation move forward in the wake of T'Challa's death.

Viewers will naturally be curious to see how Boseman's death will affect the film, but that's not the only question on everyone's mind. Trailers for the film show that another character is set to take over as the next Black Panther, though their identity is still a mystery. If you're looking for more details on the matter, then you're out of luck. In a recent interview, Lupita Nyong'o made it clear that she won't be providing hints about the identity of the next Black Panther. Her hilarious but succinct answer makes it safe to assume that the actress will be keeping the secret under lock and key until the film premieres on November 11, 2022.

The official trailer for "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" gives viewers a glimpse at the new hero's super suit. The costume's gold accents might hint that Shuri is set to follow in her brother's footsteps. Viewers will recall that T'Challa decided to forgo having gold beads on his suit in "Black Panther," claiming they were too ostentatious. It would make sense that Shuri added that small detail to her armor to set herself apart from her brother. However, it's worth noting that Nakia scarcely appears in either trailer, possibly indicating that seeing footage of Nakia would be a major spoiler. Whoever the next Black Panther is, Lupita Nyong'o is keeping that information to herself.

Ahead of the sequel's release, Lupita Nyong'o sat down with The Hollywood Reporter to discuss her career, but she remained tight-lipped about the hero of the next installment. "If I told you that, I might as well just ... swim into the ocean and never be seen again," she told the outlet. 

From the looks of one trailer for the film, it appears as though taking a swim might be unavoidable. The villain of "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" will be Namor (Tenoch Huerta), who's known as the Sub-Mariner and the ruler of the underwater kingdom of Talocan. Similar to T'Challa, Namor is backed by an army of dedicated allies willing to fight for their homeland, making the character a formidable addition to Marvel's roster of antagonists.