]
Did Michael B. Jordan know what he was getting into with Black Panther: Wakanda Forever? The Creed star reveals the story behind his return to the MCU.
In a world of leaks and rumors, one of the most shocking moments in recent MCU history was the return of Michael B. Jordan as Erik Killmonger in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. While many fans speculated that he might make a return following his death in the first film, most speculation leading up to release actually revolved around Doctor Doom’s role in the film, leaving the reveal as a shocking but welcome surprise to many fans.
However, given the tragedies surrounding the production of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever with the death of star Chadwick Boseman, many fans wondered what got Michael B. Jordan to commit to a return in the sequel. When speaking on the decision in a recent interview with GQ, the actor admitted that he didn’t even have the full script when agreeing to reprise his role in the MCU, being as excited for the final product as fans.
“Coming back to do [Black] Panther 2 after the tragedy of losing Chadwick [Boseman] was an extremely tough one. I was in like, pre-production for Creed 3, so I was like, right getting ready to go direct,. At the time, I didn’t even read the whole script, so I didn’t know what the whole movie was about.”
“[Ryan] Coog[ler], yeah, he’s your own brother. He ain’t even let me read the script, you know? It was crazy. Nah, but he kept that pretty, pretty close to the vest for a lot of different reasons. So I was just as excited as everybody else. You know what I’m saying? To watch the movie at the end, to kind of see what he did with the whole thing, to be perfectly honest.”
Why Michael B. Jordan Agreed To Return In Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
While Michael B. Jordan didn’t reveal exactly what he was told about Black Panther: Wakanda Forever that lead to his return, he did tip his hand a bit regarding the general vibe. He reveals that he didn’t just do the project as yet another installment in the MCU, but rather as a tribute to Chadwick Boseman to honor both him and the character he played which inspired millions.
“But it meant a lot to the cast. I think the short time I was there and, obviously, you know, the cast is extremely tight, and we all speak — it felt like we were all doing it for Chadwick. We did that movie for him.”
It’s certainly sweet to hear that Michael B. Jordan and the rest of the cast and crew set out to honor Chadwick Boseman’s legacy in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. With a third film in the franchise greenlit in the MCU, it’s unclear if Jordan will return to reprise his role once more. There’s been a lot of speculation on if the third film will continue to honor the past, or chart a new course for the franchise leading into the future.
Black Panther 3 is currently in development at Marvel Studios. Stay tuned for the latest news regarding the future of Black Panther and the Marvel Cinematic Universe and make sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel for more content!
