Black Panther director Ryan Coogler addresses why Daniel Kaluuya isn't in Wakanda Forever

Daniel Kaluuya in Black Panther
(Image credit: Disney/Marvel)

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever does not see the return of Daniel Kaluuya's W'Kabi, despite the character being a major player in the first Black Panther movie. When Killmonger took the throne of Wakanda, W'Kabi supported him – and it's because of this that you won't see him in the sequel. 

"He's basically banished, but still within Wakanda's borders, if that makes sense," director Ryan Coogler told CinemaBlend. "It's one line that refers to him still being alive." 

So, while the movie does address the character's absence, he doesn't actually appear. Another factor in his absence, though, is that Kaluuya was busy filming Jordan Peele's Nope, so scheduling conflicts stopped him from returning for the Marvel sequel. 

Wakanda Forever sees the return of Letitia Wright's Shuri, Danai Gurira's Okoye, Angela Bassett's Ramonda, Lupita Nyong'o's Nakia, and Winston Duke's M'Baku. Newcomers to the cast include Michaela Coel as Aneka, Dominique Thorne as Riri Williams, and Tenoch Huerta as Namor. In the sequel, Wakanda – and a new Black Panther – go up against Namor and his underwater kingdom of Talokan. 

While no Black Panther 3 has been announced just yet, Kevin Feige has revealed that "conversations" have occurred with Coogler about a threequel, but the director himself hasn't confirmed his return. 

"I go back to what I said when we decided to make Wakanda Forever after losing Chad," Feige said of a third movie. "This mythology and this ensemble and these characters deserve to continue and will continue after all of us are gone, I hope, and will continue forever in movies the way it has in comics for 50-plus years."

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is in theaters now. If you're up to speed on the movie, check out our explainers on: 

Molly Edwards
Senior Entertainment Writer

I'm a Senior Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, covering all things film and TV for the site's Total Film and SFX sections. I previously worked on the Disney magazines team at Immediate Media, and also wrote on the CBeebies, MEGA!, and Star Wars Galaxy titles after graduating with a BA in English. 

Read more
Chadwick Boseman in Black Panther
Marvel producer shuts down Black Panther 3's T'Challa recast rumors: "Everything you read online is not true"
Danai Gurira in Black Panther
Marvel executive confirms that Black Panther spin-off series about Okoye isn't happening, but Danai Gurira will return
Danny Ramirez and Anthony Mackie in Captain America: Brave New World
Captain America: Brave New World ending explained – Who dies in the Marvel movie? How does it set up the next Avengers?
Captain America: Brave New World
That Captain America: Brave New World cameo changed several times, but it was always going to be that character
Marvel Phase 5: Charlie Cox in Daredevil Born Again (2025)
Marvel Phase 5: new release dates, cast news, and more
Shang-Chi and Legend of the Ten Rings
Marvel fans are discussing MCU post-credits scenes that still haven't had any pay-off, from Shang-Chi to Spider-Man: Homecoming
Latest in Marvel Movies
Spider-Man 4
There might be an obvious reason why Tom Holland's Spider-Man wasn't announced for Avengers: Doomsday
Patrick Stewart in X-Men
Marvel fans are already theorizing how Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, and James Marsden's X-Men will be integrated into Avengers: Doomsday
Daredevil: Born Again episode 6
Daredevil's Charlie Cox isn't in the Avengers: Doomsday cast list – but Marvel fans have an idea about how he might still show up
Chris Evans in Avengers: Endgame
Avengers: Doomsday release date, cast, plot, and more news
Simu Liu in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
Simu Liu had the best reaction to Shang-Chi’s announcement for Avengers: Doomsday, but fans think it's "criminal" there hasn’t been a direct sequel
Robert Downey Jr. during the Doctor Doom announcement at Marvel's SDCC 2024 panel
There may still be some big names missing from the Avengers: Doomsday cast list, but Marvel teases that "there's always room for more"
Latest in News
Final Fantasy 16 protagonist Clive uses magic in closeup screenshot
Despite fans begging for Tifa, Final Fantasy 16's Clive is "significantly more popular" than any other Tekken guest fighter
Spider-Man 4
There might be an obvious reason why Tom Holland's Spider-Man wasn't announced for Avengers: Doomsday
Patrick Stewart in X-Men
Marvel fans are already theorizing how Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, and James Marsden's X-Men will be integrated into Avengers: Doomsday
Daredevil: Born Again episode 6
Daredevil's Charlie Cox isn't in the Avengers: Doomsday cast list – but Marvel fans have an idea about how he might still show up
Simu Liu in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
Simu Liu had the best reaction to Shang-Chi’s announcement for Avengers: Doomsday, but fans think it's "criminal" there hasn’t been a direct sequel
Robert Downey Jr. during the Doctor Doom announcement at Marvel's SDCC 2024 panel
There may still be some big names missing from the Avengers: Doomsday cast list, but Marvel teases that "there's always room for more"