Michaela Coel has been getting her things lately—and deservedly so.
On Wednesday, Michaela got a very big thing! The Emmy-nominated and Peabody-winning writer-actress has been cast in the highly-anticipated Black Panther 2, officially titled Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Variety confirms.
OMGOMGOMGOMGOMG! Let that sink in—Michaela is now a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU)! ‘MCU’ stands for the Michaela Coel Universe in our hearts right now!
Here’s the un-shocking thing, though—all character details are being kept under wraps...because the Disney vault is very real and very powerful. Though Marvel declined to comment on this recent news, Variety reports, “insiders say Coel has joined director Ryan Coogler at Atlanta’s Pinewood Studios, where production began last month.”
Variety provided a great summary for Michaela’s credentials:
Coel exploded onto Hollywood’s radar in 2020 with her critically acclaimed HBO Max series I May Destroy You, for which she’s received four Emmy nominations. In addition to writing, directing and producing, Coel starred in the show as a popular writer processing rape trauma in contemporary London.
Coel’s credits include the Netflix programs Black Mirror and Chewing Gum, and the feature films Been So Long and Star Wars: The Last Jedi. She is not currently represented by a talent agency. She works through her indie label Falkna Productions, which co-produced I May Destroy You.
Since we don’t know exact character details, that only leaves one thing to do—speculate! Of course, Black Twitter understood the assignment amid their excitement.
Michaela had been a part of fan casting for a while, so the most popular choice was Ororo Munroe, also known as Storm. Comic fans can immediately clock that there is a Storm connection in Wakanda—in fact, Ororo and T’Challa fall in love and get married. In the 1980s issue of Marvel Team-Up, it is revealed that the two first met as kids.
Since Disney now owns both Marvel and Fox properties, this seems like the perfect opportunity for fan dreams to come true.
Other possible characters thrown about were Madam Slay or Aneka, each of whom are involved Black Panther lore in the comics. Madam Slay is a lover and ally to Erik Killmonger (portrayed by Michael B. Jordan in the film adaptation of the comic) and has the ability to control leopards. Aneka is a captain of the Dora Milaje. Michaela would absolutely slay either of these.
If Michaela isn’t Storm, there is still the hope that Yetide Bakade (American Gods) is cast within the MCU as the powerful mutant who eventually joins the X-Men. So much speculation; so many possibilities.
We may not know all of the details of Black Panther 2, but we do know that it’ll be a Black-ass big deal. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is scheduled to be released July 8, 2022.