'Black Panther 2' was almost a father-son story

Entertainment Dec 31, 2025

Director Ryan Coogler shared that "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" was originally going to focus on King T'Challa and his son, with a key ritual interrupted by Namor.
This angle would have explored T'Challa balancing life as both king and dad, but the story changed after Chadwick Boseman's passing.

Namor's role and what's next

Coogler's first script was massive—180 pages—and featured the intense "ritual of eight."
Although Boseman never got to see this version, Coogler kept Namor (played by Tenoch Huerta) as the main villain.
Looking ahead, Namor is set to return in "Avengers: Doomsday," hitting theaters December 2026.