Death of a King, Rise of an LGBTQ Queen: Michaela Coel Rumored to Become New Black Panther
Michaela Coel is being rumored to become the new Black Panther since the passing of Chadwick Boseman. Michaela Coel has been a symbol of hope and inspiration within the BIPOC and LGBTQ community. The Marvel cinematic universe has not officially said if Coel will lead the Wakanda Forever sequel in the Black Panther role, but the evidence is strong to support this.
Boseman set the stage for the Black Panther franchise. It gave people a connection to a character the viewer could find something to agree with. His untimely death of cancer in 2020 would lead many viewers and Marvel fans to wonder what would happen to the franchise. The rise of LGBTQ queen Michaela Coel would bring that role back. According to Variety Magazine, the rumors of her taking the role of the new Black Panther queen would be incredible.
#WakandaForever!
Michaela Coel has joined the ensemble cast of #BlackPantherWakandaForever, the sequel to the Oscar-nominated top-grossing Marvel film #BlackPanther. https://t.co/5yk7GYak5P pic.twitter.com/KfmSDw8GhG— Variety (@Variety) July 21, 2021
When the Wakanda universe first came out in 2016, many Marvel fans found themselves sincerely wondering how this new universe would play out. As the series has evolved, so has the fan base for the personal connections they have to the series. The death of Boseman left us nerdy Marvel fans sad and heartbroken, including the crew and actors.
This void of finding someone to take up the role of the iconic Black Panther has been an ongoing conversation over Twitter for months. Many speculated who would take the role and lead the new series into the future. Coel brings a lot to the table, as she became a sensation in her 2020 Emmy-nominated HBO show I May Destroy You.
According to them, Coel will be the first openly LGBTQ superhero to play the role of the Black Panther, which men have mostly played. As the LGBTQ community sees a rising in involvement with films, media, and many other aspects of our country, we can hope to see more BIPOC, LGBTQ folks, and women take on roles for films that will help ensure that equality is met where it wasn’t before.
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There are also other characters in the film that will revisit their roles. One of those iconic roles is Aneka, played by LGBTQ actress Florence Kasumba. She did not appear in the 2018 Black Panther movie, which prompted fans to create the hashtag “#LetAyoHaveAGirlfriend.
The Wakanda Forever movie is slated for 2022, and many Marvel fans are excited to see what comes from it. The hope of Coel and Kasumba as an on-screen lesbian power couple is exciting and will help ensure that LGBTQ representation is given within the new, dynamic Marvel universe.
