Black Panther: Wakanda Forever was officially given a subtitle when Marvel Studios dropped the Phase Four sizzle reel earlier this week, and it instantly led to fans getting emotional. It’ll certainly be a tough task, though, for the blockbuster to deliver on the expectations that come with following a movie that earned over $1.3 billion at the box office, secured an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture and won rave reviews, never mind one that lost its leading man in the most unexpected and tragic of circumstances.
Plot details remain under wraps for now, but based on what we saw unfold across The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, the bond between Bucky Barnes and the Wakandans remains strong, with Sebastian Stan even being rumored for a cameo in the Black Panther sequel. In fact, we’ve now heard from our sources – the same ones who told us the project was in development long before it was confirmed – that Captain America 4 will see Sam Wilson join the White Wolf on his journey back to the technologically advanced African nation.
There’s every chance Wakanda Forever could plant the seeds for the next crossover when it releases in the summer of 2022, but even if it doesn’t, there are still plenty of reasons for Sam and Bucky to reacquaint themselves with the Dora Milaje and whoever the country’s new ruler ends up being. Obviously, they created the Winter Soldier’s bionic arm and the current Cap’s costume, while their shared nemesis Zemo looks poised to stage a jailbreak in the not too distant future and lead the Thunderbolts into action.
That’s several significant plot pieces already on the board, then, but it’s likely that we won’t know more about how Captain America 4 is shaping up until after Black Panther: Wakanda Forever hits theaters next July.