Angela Bassett Hints at Potential Return as Queen Ramonda in ‘Black Panther 3’

Few Marvel deaths have impacted fans as deeply as Queen Ramonda’s sacrifice in ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.’ This pivotal moment solidified Angela Bassett’s performance as one of the most emotionally impactful in the franchise. Her work in that film made history as the first performance in a Marvel movie to earn an Academy Award nomination, a distinction that has only intensified fan attachment to the character over the years.

This attachment has kept the speculation about Ramonda’s potential return alive long after her character’s death, especially as Marvel gears up for ‘Black Panther 3.’ Following July’s Comic-Con announcement that David Jonsson will portray an adult T’Challa II, casting news for the threequel has sparked renewed interest in whether the franchise’s matriarch might make a comeback.

Bassett addressed this possibility during a recent appearance on Good Morning America. When asked if Queen Ramonda could return in the next ‘Black Panther’ film, she left the door open, stating, “There’s always a chance. There’s always hope. And the hope is the expectation of something good.”

Bassett’s cautious optimism is not occurring in isolation. The ‘Black Panther’ franchise utilizes a unique storytelling device within the Marvel Cinematic Universe: the Ancestral Plane. This spiritual realm can be accessed by those who consume the heart-shaped herb, allowing living characters to connect with deceased ones. Audiences have already witnessed this mechanic in action, first when T’Challa visited his late father T’Chaka in the original ‘Black Panther,’ and again when Shuri spoke with Killmonger in ‘Wakanda Forever.’

Given this established precedent, the Ancestral Plane seems like the most plausible way for Marvel to give Bassett another opportunity to portray Ramonda, even with her death remaining part of the storyline. The bigger question isn’t if this device could bring her back, but which character might seek her out when the threequel eventually arrives.

In addition to Jonsson’s casting as T’Challa II, Marvel has confirmed that Winston Duke will reprise his role as M’Baku, and Letitia Wright will continue as Shuri. ‘Black Panther 3’ is currently slated for a theatrical release on December 15, 2028, leaving fans with over two years to speculate on how, or if, Ramonda will be woven into the narrative before the film’s debut.

Bassett’s remarks come shortly after she publicly endorsed Jonsson taking on the mantle of T’Challa’s grown son, expressing her excitement about the casting news. With her support and openness to a possible return, Bassett seems fully committed to ensuring Wakanda’s next chapter thrives, regardless of whether Ramonda plays a role in it.

For now, Marvel has offered fans little more than hope. However, considering how the franchise has navigated themes of loss and legacy in the past, that hope may be precisely what ‘Black Panther 3’ requires.

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