Michael B. Jordan said he would return as Erik "Killmonger" Stevens if he was asked.
The actor recently spoke with People about his upcoming film and charity work. When the outlet asked if he'd be interested in returning to his character for the upcoming Black Panther 2, he was more than enthusiastic about the idea. "That's something that is very, very near and dear to my heart for a lot of obvious reasons," Jordan said.
With the passing of Black Panther star Chadwick Boseman last year, the future of the franchise is in an interesting position. The sequel is being worked on now, with director Ryan Coogler currently writing the script and preparing for the start of production. It's already been confirmed that Boseman won't be recast or replaced with a CGI double. Star Angela Bassett, who plays Ramonda, the mother to Boseman's T'Challa, recently said the late actor was irreplaceable.
For Jordan, the loss was hard, but he still has a deep connection to the film series. "[I] had a really tough year losing somebody close to me. And what that means for that franchise is it was devastating. But being in that world in a character that I loved playing, and working with [writer/director Ryan Coogler] and all that good stuff, it's family. We created a family over there," he continued. "So to be able to be in that world again is something that, I think, will always be on the table in some capacity."
Coogler recently revealed that he's working on Black Panther 2 using the production bible that designer Hannah Beachler crafted for the first film. The 500-page tome grew from the pitch book Beachler used to land the job on the first film, spending two weeks and $12,000 of her own money to create it. Outside of a few production details, however, little is known about the plot of the film or how T'Challa's absence will be dealt with.
With the news that Killmonger might come back, despite his seeming death at the end of the first film, "Shuri" began trending on Twitter. As fans wonder who will sit the throne of Wakanda, many are eager to see Shuri, the second in line, become the queen and the Black Panther. This would mirror the character's journey in the comics, where she spent time as both the monarch and protector of the nation.
Directed by Ryan Coogler, Black Panther 2 arrives in theaters July 8, 2022.
Source:Â People