In November 2022, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever was released to receive significant critical acclaim. However, given Marvel's choice not to recast the character when Chadwick Boseman passed away in August 2020, the plot would have to be altered. While mourning King T'Challa's loss, viewers were treated to an appearance by Michael B. Jordan as Eric Killmonger, who was Chadwick's powerful nemesis in the first film.
Before Shuri (Letitia Wright) ingested a heart-shaped herb on her path to becoming the Black Panther, Killmonger made an appearance in the Ancestral Plane. Jordan revealed on the Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon how he could keep his appearance a secret, which surprised fans. He admitted how difficult it was for everyone to work without Boseman present and said it was "tough" to keep the identity of his cameo a secret.
About the preparation for his appearance, Jordan said:
"And Ryan Coogler had such a tremendous task in front of him to evolve the script and the story in a way that still kind of honored Chadwick but move the franchise forward as well. So for me to be able to come back, and I really had to keep it under wraps, I had to grow my hair out. You know, I got the locks back in and stuff like that. And I'm traveling a lot of places, so I've got to wear a hat, a hoodie, fly private, which isn't too bad of a thing. But being able to keep it under wraps was really a tough thing."
More on Killmonger's Shocking Appearance
Both viewers and Shuri were shocked when Killmonger appeared to her in the Ancestral Plane. When she got there, she had hoped to run into a family member, but Killmonger's arrival spoke to the wound she felt after losing her mother and brother so suddenly. For a time, she followed the advice of her cousin, who had persuaded her to choose revenge in her quest, and declared war on Talokan. But the new Black Panther decided on the right path after giving herself time to emotionally and mentally recover.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever has gotten favorable reviews from critics and earned a box office revenue of $840 million. The fact that Angela Bassett's portrayal of Queen Ramonda earned her an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress is evidence of the movie's exceptional quality. Jordan had to keep his position in Wakanda Forever a secret, but fans can look forward to seeing him outside the MCU in the upcoming Creed III.