Fans Think Rihanna Will Be in Black Panther II

Rihanna Blessed Us With an Update On Her Next Album

R9 is a beacon of hope in the pandemic.

Update: E! News confirmed that Rihanna will not, in fact, be cast in Black Panther II.

Previously: Marvel is planning to start production on Black Panther II next year, according to Deadline, though there are no details about how the film will reconcile with Chadwick Boseman's death earlier this year. However, fans are convinced of a few things: Shuri, T'Challa's sister, played by Letitia Wright, should take over the mantle of Black Panther; and Rihanna will somehow make an appearance in the film. While the first fan theory seems entirely plausible (and the most likely way for Marvel to continue with everything established in Wakanda), the second could be a case of wishful thinking.

Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Savage X Fenty Show Vol. 2 Presented by Amazon Prime Video Rihanna

Twitter users are posting their Google search results for "Black Panther 2 cast," which reveal Rihanna among some of the cast members from the first film: Lupita Nyong'o, Wright, Angela Bassett, and Winston Duke. The movie's IMDb page doesn't list her in the cast, though the information there (and in general) is still sparse.

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While Rihanna has neither confirmed nor denied her involvement in the upcoming film, it seems impossible that she'll have enough time to block off six months of her calendar, which is what Deadline is reporting will be the film's production timeline. Though fans are waiting impatiently for her new album, she has been keeping busy with a skincare line, regular additions to her beauty brand, and staging massive fashion shows for her lingerie and loungewear collection, Savage x Fenty.

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Black Panther II is set to be released in 2020 and is part of Marvel's Phase Five roster. It joins director Nia DaCosta's Captain Marvel 2, Ant-Man 3, a new Fantastic Four film, Mahershala Ali's take on Blade, and volume three of Guardians of the Galaxy.