Fans mostly went into Black Panther wondering how it would set up the following movie in the MCU, the long-awaited Avengers: Infinity War. As it happened, there were a number of ways it did that, but could the film also be moving things into position for another MCU effort that isn’t even arriving for another year? Specifically, could part of the plot connect with 2019’s Captain Marvel?
The beginning of Black Panther takes place in Oakland, California, back in 1992. Here, it’s revealed that King T’Chaka of Wakanda has stationed his secret agents – or War Dogs – around the globe. Situated in Oakland is his brother N’Jobu who it turns out is actually helping smuggle vibranium out of the country. Due to this, the heartbroken T’Chaka is forced to kill him, an act that will spell disaster for the future of Wakanda.
So yes, this is all very sad, but it doesn’t tell us why Wakandan War Dogs have been sent around the globe in the first place. When we remember that Captain Marvel will be set in the 1990s, however, it all starts to come together. And here’s how…
The upcoming origins film for Brie Larson’s hero is set to feature the Skrulls, shapeshifting aliens who are known to lead “secret invasions” of the Earth by planting themselves into important positions. So, what if Skrulls are already on Earth at this point and T’Chaka knows about it? He could have sent his own War Dogs to keep an eye on the Skrull sleeper agents, perhaps with the aim of finding out a way to combat them.
If you think we’re stretching it a bit with this connection, it’s worth remembering that this isn’t the only possible link between Black Panther and Captain Marvel. We already know that Martin Freeman’s Everett K. Ross will definitely return for another MCU movie, and going by his backstory as an Air Force pilot, we have a sneaking suspicion that it’ll be Captain Marvel. After all, Carol Danvers was originally a pilot, as well, before she got her superpowers.
For now, this is just a theory, but it’s certainly interesting to ponder and as Black Panther continues to dominate the box office, we fully expect more info regarding its connections to future MCU films to surface. Stay tuned!
