Small Details You Missed In The First Trailer For Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

It's a remarkable achievement that "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" even made it to the finish line. Chadwick Boseman, who plays T'Challa, aka Black Panther, in the first film, passed away at the age of 43 in 2020, leaving behind shoes that were impossible to fill. Marvel fans everywhere were captivated by his performance in "Black Panther," and it's one of the many factors that led to the film being nominated for seven Academy Awards in 2019 (via LA Times).

Fortunately, Marvel opted not to try and recast another actor as T'Challa. Instead, it appears the studio will center the sequel story around T'Challa's younger sister, Shuri (Leticia Wright), his mother, Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett), Nakia (Lupita Nyong'o), Okoye (Danai Gurira), and other characters from the 2018 movie, all the while finding a way to honor the legacies of Boseman and his character. At least, that's what it looks like based on the first trailer for "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" that debuted on Saturday evening at San Diego Comic-Con 2022.

The teaser trailer for the second "Black Panther" feature indicates there is still plenty of life left in this beloved franchise. In addition to boasting plenty of important characters from the previous movie, the teaser introduces the audience to some new players and hints at other mystical worlds away from Wakanda. There's plenty to unpack, so let's take a look at some of the smaller details you may have missed.

The first third of the "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" trailer shows Wakanda in a state of mourning for their late king — and most recent Black Panther — T'Challa (Chadwick Boseman). In the wake of Boseman's death, Ryan Coogler, director of both "Black Panther" installments, addressed the packed SDCC 2022 convention hall and told fans that Boseman's legacy will last far beyond the tragic early end of his life. "I promise you, I feel his hand on me right now," he said (via Deadline). "Chad's passion and the genius and his culture and the impact he made on this industry will be felt forever."

T'Challa's absence hangs heavy over the beginning of the trailer. We get brief glimpses of his sister Shuri (Letitia Wright), his partner Nakia (Lupita Nyong'o), his former bodyguard Okoye (Dania Gurira), and his mother, Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett) in various displays of sadness or stoicism while soul sensation Tems delivers a mournful cover of Bob Marley's "No Woman, No Cry" (via Twitter). It is very clear that T'Challa's absence cuts deep in the lives of everyone who knew him, loved him, and fought beside him, leaving them all to shed a tear privately or come together as one.

We also see a large ceremony featuring a cadre of dancers and a ceremonial procession, but everyone wears white. As such, it's unclear if this is a funeral procession for T'Challa, a wedding (for Shuri, perhaps?), or something else entirely.

As you would expect from the most senior surviving member of the Wakandan royal family, Ramonda (Angela Bassett) is leading by example as the stone-cold and determined figurehead of the nation. After being separated from both her children during The Blip in "Avengers: Infinity War," and then happily reunited with them at the end of "Avengers: Endgame," the stress has clearly taken a toll on her based on the wisps of white hair poking out from under her headdress as she gazes across the beach. Ramonda appears to be navigating the very public, very exacting duty of leading a nation while struggling with the death of her son. It's a tough road ahead for the queen, but she has the support she needs to get her through. 

This includes her daughter Shuri, who is by her side and ready to put on a strong front. But it doesn't seem like the Wakandan princess will focus much on her brilliant engineering skills — or, at least, they will take a backseat to more important matters. At one point in the "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" teaser trailer, we see her participating in the royal duties, including taking part in what appears to be a funeral procession (unless it's something more celebratory?) and recruiting help from Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne). Yes, that's right — fans will meet Ironheart before she takes the spotlight in her upcoming solo Disney+ series of the same name.

Of all the exciting details that the new teaser for "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" offers, seeing Namor and the rest of the Atlanteans for the first time will probably make Marvel fans jump right out of their seats. Not even one minute into the trailer, fans can see what appears to be an Atlantean couple giving birth to a new child — which could possibly be a young Namor (Tenoch Huerta). In a haunting shot just past the one-minute mark, it appears that Atlanteans and what might be a young Namor are watching a building burn. It then immediately transitions to him walking out of the water as an adult, appearing far more stately and adorned with additional Atlantean regalia.

We also get plenty of shots of the Atlantean community. The trailer isn't shy with its breathtaking shots of the underwater way of life the citizens of Atlantis live. Scenes of a crew of Atlanteans riding a humpback whale and a squad of Atlantean fighters facing off against an unseen foe on dry land are sure to stick in our minds until we see this movie.

Marvel Comics' Atlanteans have been around on Earth for some time, along with Namor, although they technically immigrated from the planet Vodan long ago. Namor is the son of a human father and an Atlantean princess. He is also one of the most powerful and intelligent beings in the Marvel universe (via Marvel.com). In fact, in Marvel Comics, Namor has been part of the Illuminati, the group that made their live-action debut in "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness." It will be interesting to see what we learn of Namor and the origins of the Atlanteans in the MCU — as they are known to make alterations from comic origins sometimes.

IGN first reported in August 2021 that Riri Williams — also known as Ironheart – would appear in "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever," and the new trailer confirms it. Played by Dominique Thorne, Riri Williams is a relatively newer character in Marvel comics history. A genius, Riri is only a teenager when she begins her studies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where she creates an advanced suit of armor in honor of her favorite hero, Iron Man. 

In the "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" trailer, Riri is first greeted in Shuri's lab with a hand slap from the Wakandan royal, who seems to know her well. Later, Queen Ramonda delivers a speech and asks, "Have I not given everything?" as various scenes play in the background. One of those scenes seems to show Riri forging her Ironheart suit of armor as a piece of heart-shaped armor falls to the floor. It looks like we'll not only get to meet Riri, but we'll also get to see her in action as the metal-clad superhero. It's unclear how large of a role Ironheart will play in the forthcoming "Black Panther" sequel, but the character's future looks bright in the MCU.

Aside from the riveting performance by Chadwick Boseman in the titular role, one of the biggest standouts in "Black Panther" was his nemesis, Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan). Jordan's take on the villain brought a solid performance of a grounded and somewhat relatable opposition to T'Challa's claim to the throne. The fact that one could watch "Black Panther" and not wholly disagree with his perspective made Killmonger one of the best villains in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

While fans on Reddit have wondered if they would see Jordan return as T'Challa's villainous cousin, his death at the end of the 2018 hit pic made it unlikely. The trailer, however, gave us a sneak peek at the new Black Panther suit at the end. Opening its claws on a beach and preparing for battle, it is almost impossible not to notice the signature gold details. Those elements are not on the suit worn by T'Challa. Instead, they adorn the suit worn by Killmonger in the cousins' climactic "Black Panther" face-off. His suit seems to be back, but is Killmonger returning as well?