Just like Chris Evans (Infinity War) before him, Michael B. Jordan’s first foray into the superhero genre involved a starring role in Fantastic Four, where he played the headstrong Jonathan “Johnny” Storm.
And just like Chris Evans before him, the MCU successfully redeemed Michael B. Jordan, after the Creed star landed the part of Erik “Killmonger” Stevens for Black Panther. He’s arguably one of the most intriguing and complex characters in all of Wakanda, and it’s a credit to Jordan, not to mention the writers behind the pic, that Killmonger’s arc never strained credulity.
The result? A formidable, deeply nuanced villain, and a worthy opponent to T’Challa. All of this begs the question, though: will Michael B. Jordan return for Black Panther 2? Well, here’s what the man himself told MTV:
I mean, I’m a fan, as you said, of Marvel, of comic books, everybody knows that. So I mean if there was ever an opportunity for me to come back and like join this universe and work with like Joe Russo, Kevin Feige, Victoria [Alonso], and everyone over there at Marvel, re-team with Ryan [Coogler] you know, of course I would.
Mind you, there is just one hitch: Erik Stevens was presumed dead by the time the credits rolled on Black Panther, after we saw Michael B. Jordan’s antagonist collapse in a heap while overlooking the sun-kissed Wakanda. He left T’Challa no choice, of course, though there’s still a possibility that Ryan Coogler’s sequel will pay a visit to Killmonger on the ancestral plane, thereby leaving the door open for MBJ to return.
Whatever the case, Marvel Studios is willing to wait until such time as Coogler is ready to move forward with Black Panther 2, which tells us that the director has no intention of rushing T’Challa’s second solo adventure. And after a staggering $1.3 billion debut, you can hardly blame him.