Last week saw the in-person return of San Diego Comic-Con or SDCC. As usual, the convention highlighted a slew of new superhero films that will be hitting the big screen over the next couple of years. Especially notable this year is the fact that a number of these movies will not only star Black actors but also represent the culture in new and important ways. Get to know new and old faces below.

1. "Wakanda Forever" will give us all the chance to celebrate and mourn

The first Black Panther movie remains one of the biggest box office successes in Hollywood history. It was also a cultural phenomenon for Black people around the world, with the title character and the idyllic Wakanda becoming symbols of pride and unity for people of African descent around the world. Sadly, star Chadwick Boseman died of cancer in 2020, cutting short an extremely talented life and career.

Now, the sequel Wakanda Forever has to bear the weight of the first movie’s success and the legacy of its deceased star. The tear-jerking first trailer, released for SDCC, looks like it will live up to the legacy. Highlighting stars such as Angela Bassett, Lupita N’yongo and Winston Duke, the film leans into the grief the characters feel for losing T’Challa and the real-life mourning for Boseman. As the trailer transitions from a cover of Bob Marley‘s “No Woman No Cry” to Kendrick Lamar‘s “Alright,” the preview promises an emotional blockbuster.

2. Dominique Thorne to display Black girl magic — and science — as Ironheart

One of the features of the Wakanda Forever trailer is the first glimpse at actress Dominique Thorne as Riri Williams, a Black teenage girl who becomes the superhero Ironheart. In the comics, Riri builds her own Iron Man-style suit and becomes a superhero when Tony Stark goes missing.

For movies, Marvel is tying the character into the Black Panther franchise. Ironheart will be featured in a new show on Disney+ that will debut in fall 2023. As most fans may not be familiar with the character, Marvel recently released an explainer of her background in the comics.

3. The Rock becomes an ancient Egyptian for "Black Adam"

Marvel’s main rival DC also represented at SDCC, and one of their biggest upcoming movies stars one of the biggest stars in Hollywood today: Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. In a passion project for Johnson that has been almost 10 years in the making, he will be playing villain turned hero Black Adam. Originally a villain in the Shazam! series, Black Adam has in the comics been reimagined as a tough but noble antihero, and Johnson will play this latter version of the character. Notably, the Black Adam character is an ancient Egyptian pharaoh, and by casting Johnson, DC has pushed back against the old trend of having white actors portraying members of the ancient North African kingdom. A new trailer for the movie debuted for SDCC.

4. Anthony Mackie picks up the shield as Captain America

Back to Marvel, the studio gave a small but significant update on the next installment of the Captain America franchise, announcing that the fourth film in the series will be titled Captain America: New World Order and will debut May 3, 2024. Anthony Mackie, who previously played the superhero Falcon, will star in the film. Mackie’s character was chosen to be the next Captain America at the end of the hugely popular Avengers Endgame movie, and his version of Cap debuted in the Falcon and the Winter Soldier Disney+ show.

Now, he will be portraying a Black Captain America who directly confronts racism and is super-villainy — an idea that has been controversial in the comics and real life. For Mackie, this will not be the first time he deals with backlash for showing up in a role not traditionally occupied by Black folks.

5. Johnathan Majors' Kang to take on the Avengers in next movie

Though it’s far away, one of the big announcements from SDCC is the next Avengers movie, entitled Avengers: Kang Dynasty. Rising star Jonathan Majors, who has already made his Marvel debut as time-traveling villain Kang the conqueror, will be the antagonist of the next Avengers movie — subtitled the Kang Dynasty — set for 2025.

Majors’ Kang will also be featured in the new Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania movie next year, the third film in that Marvel franchise. Majors’ role as the new Avengers nemesis is a huge star turn for the actor, who has made a name for himself in ultra-Black projects like The Last Black Man in San Francisco, Lovecraft Country, and The Harder They Fall.

Now, Majors will be one of several actors taking culture in new directions in what are sure to be blockbuster comic-inspired projects. As the superhero genre continues to grow in popularity, the increased diversity of characters and actors portrayed on the big screen will give Black and brown fans of all ages heroes. And even villains who look and sound like them and expand on how these adventures reflect our world.

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