The Marvel Cinematic Universe’s (MCU) fourth and final phase culminated with the release of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, which featured a stellar ensemble cast.
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Marvel Studios gets to finally enjoy the fruits of its labor on Black Panther 2 after two years of setbacks and turbulence by making a full return to Wakanda.
With one of the most outstanding ensemble casts of any MCU standalone movie to date, director Ryan Coogler did his best to craft a plot that contributed a meaningful new chapter to the Marvel story.
Coogler completed all of this despite the fact that the part of T’Challa was never recast after Chadwick Boseman tragically passed away from cancer in August 2020.
Wakanda Forever Cast
Many of the MCU’s biggest names came together to honor the franchise’s first Black leading man in this sequel, which helped propel the MCU to new heights of success. With that said, below is a list of the 23 people who made cameos in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
Shuri (Letitia Wright)
The movie’s star, Shuri (Letitia Wright), began by devising a treatment for her brother T’Challa before his untimely death. She devoted the rest of the film to her work and attempted to negotiate with Talokan to prevent conflict.
The Black Panther legend was revived when the princess of Wakanda rose up to protect her country and became its new bearer.
Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett)
Ramonda, played by Angela Bassett, reclaimed her position as Queen of Wakanda following her son’s death and became the film’s emotional center.
Despite her best efforts to demonstrate Wakanda’s global standing and safeguard her people, she was the film’s most prominent victim when Namor flooded the palace. Shuri and the people of Wakanda were motivated to find a way to memorialize their slain Queen, Ramonda, who gave her life to save another, by her heroic actions during the conflict.
Okoye (Danai Gurira)
In Black Panther 2, Okoye’s story took a surprising turn when she lost Shuri on their mission to the United States and was deprived of her title as Dora Milaje General.
But it didn’t stop her from becoming an integral part of the plot as the story continued, with Shuri designing a new suit for Okoye to use in combat against Namor and Talocan.
Due to this, she was able to adopt the name Midnight Angel and gain incredible new abilities, including superhuman strength. Even though she is officially a civilian, her new attire and role will prepare her for a special voyage in Wakanda.
M’Baku (Winston Duke)
With the Jabari tribe no longer cut off from the rest of Wakanda, Winston Duke’s M’Baku has a very new role in Black Panther 2.
After Ramonda’s death, he helped Shuri in whatever way he could while serving on Wakanda’s governing council and using his influence to fight against Namor and his people.
Showing up at Shuri’s ritual coronation also gave him the opportunity to make a claim on the throne of Wakanda, setting him up for an even larger role in future Black Panther stories.
Ayo (Florence Kasumba)
After Okoye was demoted, Florence Kasumba’s Ayo resumed her prominent role within the Dora Milaje, eventually becoming the organization’s General.
She’s joined Okoye and the other Dora troops on the massive battleship in the middle of the Atlantic to help them fight Namor.
Hints near the end of the film about Ayo’s connection with another member of Wakanda’s royal guards make her the latest LGBTQIA+ hero in the MCU.
Aneka (Michaela Coel)
In Black Panther 2, Michaela Coel’s Aneka steps into the position of Ayo’s partner, and they share a passionate kiss on the forehead after their fight with Talokan is finally over.
However, before that happens, she demonstrates that she is a formidable combatant in her own right. While the other Dora utilize spears, Aneka stands out by wielding a pair of blue blades that Shuri custom-made for her.
Along with Okoye, she dons a Midnight Angel outfit and enters the final conflict as a fellow Midnight Angel.
Griot, Shuri’s AI (Trevor Noah)
Trevor Noah, presenter of The Daily Show, provided the voice for Shuri’s AI, Griot, in the blockbuster film Black Panther (2018).
It’s no surprise to hear Noah’s voice again, especially because he hinted at having a role in the movie a few weeks before its release and her technology is making a huge comeback in Black Panther 2.
When Shuri was trying to save T’Challa and before she became the Black Panther herself, Noah made a particularly profound influence by assisting her in her efforts to recreate the Heart-Shaped Herb.
Dr. Graham (Lake Bell)
Lake Bell, who voiced Black Widow in the first season of What If…?, made her live-action Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) debut in Black Panther 2 as Dr. Gloria Graham.
Her character hopped on board the ship that was exploring the depths of the water in Talokan in search of Vibranium, and she used Riri Williams’ detection machine.
The crew soon met the wrath of Namor the Sub-Mariner, who led his army in an attack that resulted in the deaths of everyone on the team. Bell’s character attempted to flee in the helicopter in which she had come, but Namor soon ended her life by throwing the helicopter into the water.
Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne)
Riri Williams/Ironheart, played by Dominique Thorne, is the catalyst for the entire conflict in this film; the discovery of Vibranium thanks to her invention spurs Namor and his people to go to war with Wakanda.
They eventually track her down to the MIT campus, where she proudly displays her Mark I Ironheart armor to Shuri and Okoye only to be abducted by Namor alongside her.
Inspiring Riri to give her all to Wakanda while she works on the Mark II suit, Ramonda sacrifices herself upon her return to Wakanda to defend her.
The Ironheart series on Disney+ is reported to be a direct sequel to her first Marvel Cinematic Universe film, so while she had to keep the suit within Wakanda’s borders, the stage is now set for her to continue her trip there.
Namor (Tenoch Huerta)
For his role as Black Panther 2’s principal adversary, Namor the Sub-Mariner, Tenoch Huerta made Marvel Cinematic Universe history.
In response to the United States government’s use of Riri Williams’ gadget to discover Vibranium in his underwater nation of Talocan, Talocan’s leaders have sought an alliance with Wakanda.
And before going toe-to-toe with Shuri, Namor staked his claim as the MCU’s newest mutant, the first to refer to himself as one, demonstrating amazing power and durability. Surprisingly, the two parties came to an agreement, with Namor abandoning his assault on the surface world in exchange for Wakanda concealing its presence.
Namora (Mabel Cadena)
To aid her country in kidnapping Riri Williams, Namora fights alongside Shuri and Okoye in Boston in her role as a leader in Namor’s army.
Namora is a pure Talokanil, therefore she must utilize a water-filled breathing device when she is above the ocean’s surface.
This, however, does not diminish her formidable fighting prowess. She plays a crucial role in safeguarding her country, displaying her skills in warfare and advising Namor after Riri and Shuri break free of captivity.
Attuma (Alex Livinalli)
Despite his reputation as Namor’s enemy, Attuma backed Talocan’s leader and acted as something of a battering ram for the other side.
Although he played a minor role for the duration of the plot, his initial fight with Okoye on the Boston bridge was his most memorable scene.
River Tribe Elder (Isaach de Bankolé)
Ishmael de Bankolé, the River Tribe elder, returns for a brief cameo in which he proudly displays the enormous medallion he inserted into his upper lip.
The tribal head of de Bankolé stayed on the Wakandan council to help Ramonda and his comrades while Nakia remained outside the country’s borders.
Merchant Tribe Elder (Dorothy Steel)
Dorothy Steel reprised her role as the Merchant Tribe head on the Wakandan council from the first Black Panther film.Steel’s death in October 2021 at the age of 95 meant that this would be her last film role.
She had one of the most unusual film careers ever, beginning when she was already 88 years old, and this film gave her a chance to be remembered alongside the late Chadwick Boseman.
Border Tribe Elder (Danny Sapani)
The head of the Border Tribe, played by Danny Sapani, was well-represented in the movie, as he joined the council alongside Steel, de Bankolé, and Ramonda in an effort to thwart Namor’s onslaught.
Unfortunately, Daniel Kaluyya’s W’Kabi was not featured in this film, hence he was the only member of the Border Tribe to appear onscreen.
Zawavari, Mining Tribe Elder (Connie Chiume)
As a member of the Wakandan council, Connie Chiume included the Mining Tribe, the last of the original four tribes.
In the brief dialogue she was given, she offered Ramonda and the royal family some advice about how to deal with Namor’s attack.
Namor’s Mother (María Mercedes Coroy)
When the Talokanil were transformed into an aquatic tribe, Guatemalan actress Mara Mercedes Coroy played the antihero’s mother in a brief flashback scene.
Since she was originally human, she died in the late 16th century, while Namor continued to develop and grow throughout the following centuries.
Nakia (Lupita Nyong’o)
It took a while for Lupita Nyong’o to make an appearance in the film, but she more than made up for it with her stellar performance as Nakia, who finally disclosed her whereabouts since Black Panther in 2018.
As the story unfolded, she fled Wakanda after seeing the film and has spent the past six years working as a secret agent for the War Dogs in Haiti, where she has been instrumental in bringing about the country’s economic growth and development while secretly thinking about T’Challa the whole time.
Of course, the biggest shocker came during the post-credits sequence of Black Panther 2, when Nakia announced that she and T’Challa had a baby.
She had spent the last six years shielding him from the scrutiny of Wakanda society, allowing him to mature at his own pace before he became a member of the royal family.
Everett Ross (Martin Freeman)
In his third Marvel Cinematic Universe appearance, Martin Freeman helped Shuri and Okoye find Riri Williams after Namor attacked.
He got himself in deep trouble with the CIA after he discovered Shuri’s kimoyo beads after the Wakandans and Talokanil fought on the bridge and surreptitiously assisted Okoye in finding the missing Wakandan princess.
One day, the CIA came for him, but Okoye saved him and took him to Wakanda, where he could be secure while they settled their debts.
Not only that, but viewers also learned something about his past that was interesting and relevant to his character’s arc in the film: he had been married before, and to someone they were already familiar with and disliked.
Val (Julia Louis-Dreyfus)
In her most prominent role to date in the MCU, Julia Louis-Dreyfus played Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, who turned out to be the CIA director and the ex-wife of Everett Ross.
She displayed her true colors once again when she told Ross that she had been following Shuri’s kimoyo beads the minute he had taken them, resulting in his detention as she fantasized about what the United States could accomplish with Wakanda’s Vibranium.
While she hasn’t been spotted since she had her ex-husband arrested, she apparently has a huge announcement planned for the near future and all the CIA resources she could possibly need.
Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan)
An epic return of the first Black Panther villain through the Ancestral Plane has been reported, following rumors that Michael B. Jordan’s Erik Killmonger might have a part in the sequel.
Shuri saw Killmonger as she swam through the water to the Wakandan throne with her newly redesigned Heart-Shaped Herb.
The antagonist, Jordan, encourages Shuri to exact revenge on those responsible for her mother’s death by claiming that Shuri’s brother was “too noble” to take action of this nature. Though he was only in one scene, his influence was felt greatly as Shuri donned her Black Panther costume for the first time.
Chadwick Boseman – T’Challa
Chadwick Boseman made a touching appearance in the final moments of the Black Panther sequel, using footage from the original film.
As the new Black Panther sat on the beach behind Nakia’s Haitian home, clips of Shuri and her late brother played in the background as she finished the ritual her mother taught her earlier in the film.
Shuri shed a few tears as she burned her funeral attire, remembering the times she laughed and joked with Boseman’s hero during his reign as king and protector of Wakanda.
It’s understandable that actress Letitia Wright would feel similarly after seeing Chadwick Boseman in what could be his final Marvel Cinematic Universe appearance.
Toussaint (Divine Love Konadu-Sun)
Black Panther 2’s mid-credits scene confirmed the existence of T’Challa and Nakia’s offspring, as had been speculated about previously in relation to Killmonger.
Divine Love Konadu-Sun played the little kid, and while we learned his real name, Toussaint, from Nakia, he also shared with his Aunt Shuri the secret that he was actually called T’Challa in the Wakandan culture.
Marvel found a way to pay tribute to Chadwick Boseman by having his character’s son take on the name T’Challa, while also setting the stage for a future T’Challa to take over as Black Panther and king of Wakanda.
It will be important to keep an eye on the new T’Challa in the coming years, even though there are currently no clues as to where his return could occur.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Cast: Infomargin.com
