What makes the ‘Black Panther 2’ story hard to predict

There was very little doubt that it was coming, but news that Ryan Coogler has signed on to write and direct makes it clear: There will, of course, be a Black Panther 2. And the most exciting thing about it is, it’s entirely unclear what it will be about, or even who will be in it.

I’m not referring to the fact that, in current Marvel Cinematic Universe chronology, half of the universe has been wiped out by Thanos as a result of Avengers: Infinity War. After all, T’Challa himself (Chadwick Boseman) was one of the characters killed in that event, all but guaranteeing that it’ll be reversed by the end of Avengers 4next year. (Indeed, it only makes sense that the Black Panther will be one of a new generation of Avengers founded at the end of that movie, potentially opening up space for some high-profile guest stars if Coogler wants to use them in his second outing; the character has long been an Avenger in his comic book incarnation.)