12 Best Movies Like Black Panther 2 That Superhero Fans Will Adore

When "Black Panther" was released in 2018, fans of the character, particularly Black fans, were super excited to see one of their favorite superheroes get his own solo film. It was only natural that, as part of the next phase of Marvel movies, "Black Panther" would get a sequel. But those dreams were stalled when the film's star, Chadwick Boseman, tragically and unexpectedly died from cancer in 2020 at the young age of 43. The idea of a "Black Panther" sequel seemed lost, but director Ryan Coogler and the original film's stars moved forward.

Through their grief, the team came together as a family to create "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever," which finds its lead characters in mourning after the off-screen death of their king, T'Challa of Wakanda. The movie explores the depths of grieving and how essential it is to mourn while also evoking familial duty, and pride in one's country, as well as the generational trauma that reverberates throughout colonized Africa. Yet even through these severe topics, "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" also allows its female characters to shine. As T'Challa's sister Shuri (Letitia Wright) and mother Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett) mourn their loss, they are also taking a great place of power, with the help of Nakia (Lupita Nyong'o), Okoye (Danai Gurira) and Aneka and Ayo, members of the Dora Milaje. Dominique Thorne also joins the cast as MIT student Riri Williams who will later become Ironheart. 

If you really enjoyed "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" and want to see more movies like it, here's our list that superhero fans might love.

Black Panther got his own film in 2018 and it was a major hit worldwide. Chadwick Boseman took the reins and led the team as the new King T'Challa, who was reluctantly taking over as ruler of the technologically advanced African nation of Wakanda after his father's death. The rest of the cast included many of the same faces that you see in "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever," such as Lupita Nyong'o as Nakia, a Wakandan "War Dog" or undercover spy who was also previously in a relationship with T'Challa. Danai Gurira plays Okoye, leader of the Dora Milaje, the all-female special forces and bodyguards to T'Challa. Angela Bassett plays T'Challa's mother, Queen Ramonda, and Letitia Wright plays Shuri, T'Challa's techie sister. Martin Freeman is also in this one as CIA Agent Everett Ross.

As an African country untouched by the atrocities of colonialism, Wakanda thrives in relative peace. But conflict arises when the film's villain, Killmonger, also known as U.S. Navy SEAL Eric Stevens, or N'Jadaka, played by Michael B. Jordan discovers his true identity. Eric's father was a Wakandan undercover agent who was actually selling weapons to African mercenaries and freedom fighters in the U.S. and who planned to reveal Wakanda's true existence to the world. Eric returns to Wakanda and tries to claim the throne, pointing out that Wakanda hides from the world instead of helping it. The criticism leads T'Challa to make a choice that changes Wakanda's course.

Thankfully it's 2022, so Black Panther isn't the only superhero of color that we've got saving the world. In the fall of 2022, DC released "Black Adam," starring Dwayne Johnson. Black Adam starts out as a villain, but that's only because he's actually a former slave who shares similar powers to Shazam of the 2019 film "Shazam!" starring Zachary Levi as a guy who is accidentally bestowed with the powers of the wizard Shazam. Do you follow? Black Adam had a cameo in that movie, but in this one he stars as the lead, turning from villain to anti-hero to kind of full-out hero 

The plot pulls from a lot of Egyptian mythology, so if you're into the magical tales of that era, and perhaps also dug the MCU's "Moon Knight" on Disney Plus this might be your bag. The movie also introduces a lot of old-school DC comic characters like Hawkman, Cyclone, and Atom Smasher. It's a fun, kinda silly movie, but much like "Black Panther" is a nice departure from the monochromatic comic book movies of years past. 

Another fun, action film with an entire civilization under the sea is the first Star Wars film of the prequel series: "Episode I: The Phantom Menace." Here, Ewan McGregor stars as a young Obi-Wan Kenobi whose master Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson) urges them to take on a young boy with special gifts. Little Anakin Skywalker (Jake Lloyd) spent his childhood on the desert planet of Tatooine, but he has a bigger destiny ahead as Darth Vader.

Natalie Portman stars as his eventual wife, Queen Amidala of Naboo who must navigate ruling both a surface society as well as one below the surface of the planet's seas. During their quest, Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon rescue a Gungan named Jar Jar Binks who leads them to Otoh Gunga, the Gungans' underwater city. They try to urge the Gungan leader, Boss Nass, to help the surface world, but he refuses until Amidala reveals herself later in the film. The two leaders come together in the end, and Jar Jar, though he is despised by many, earns the title of general. The Gungan civilization is another interesting example of how these science-fiction and comic films try to incorporate underwater societies. How far the filmmaking technology has come is also a neat thing to see, as the visuals of "Wakanda Forever" feel very inspired by this 1999 film, with much better polish.

"Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" definitely deals with the serious issues of death and grief. So if you enjoy some of its more powerful aspects but want something a little more fun and less dour, check out 2008's "Hancock." The film stars Will Smith as an acerbic superhero named Hancock. He doesn't know why he has super-strength, invulnerability, or can fly, but he does try to help when he can — even though he often makes a bigger mess of things when he does. Jason Bateman co-stars as Ray, a PR agent who decides to take Hancock on as a reluctant client. As Ray and Hancock try to revamp the superhero's image, they learn that Ray's wife Mary (Charlize Theron) isn't exactly who everyone thinks she is. 

"Hancock" is a surprisingly fun film and although it didn't do well with critics it made a ton of money at the box office. Black superheroes are still a rarity in Hollywood, though things are improving. So it was refreshing back in 2008 to see someone like Smith take on a superhero part, particularly before the MCU changed up the entire entertainment industry. 

Though the underwater civilization of Talokan and its king, Namor, are explained to be mutants in "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever," they are also inspired by ancient Mesoamerican cultures such as the Maya and the Aztecs. There aren't many films about the history of Mesoamerica, but one that's particularly gripping is the 2006 film "Apocalypto." Directed by Mel Gibson and starring an indigenous cast, "Apocalypto" tells the story of a young man named Jaguar Paw whose family is threatened by ruling Mayans from the larger city. Jaguar Paw puts his family in hiding but is taken as a human sacrifice to one of the Mayan pyramids. On the journey he meets a young girl stricken with smallpox who prophesies the end of the Mayan civilization, pointing out the dying maize fields and razed forests. Though Jaguar Paw escapes and saves his family in the end, the film ends on an ominous note, with Spanish conquistadors arriving on the shores of the peninsula.

Namor does remark in 'Wakanda Forever" that he blames the surface world for the decline of the Maya, from whom the Talokan are descended. Wakanda and Talokan share a lot of similarities in that they are both isolated from the colonized world and have to decide how much of themselves to reveal. But if the Talokan were the most interesting part of "Wakanda Forever" for you, "Apocalypto" might be a movie of interest.