During the Disney and Marvel Games Showcase at D23 Expo, a brand-new untitled game was announced, and it appears to star Captain America and Black Panther. There is a twist, though: the game will take place during World War Two. This means that Captain America will be encountering a Black Panther that isn't the T'Challa many fans have come to know, and they will be fighting alongside characters that don't usually get the spotlight in Marvel's modern properties. In addition to the game's playable characters, there are plenty of heroes and villains that could make an appearance.
Little has been confirmed about the game, but it has been confirmed that Captain America and Black Panther will both be playable characters. There will also be two more characters rounding out the game's playable heroes: Howling Commandos member Gabriel Jones and Nanali, the head of Wakanda's spy network. The game's reveal trailer intimated that it will take place in "two worlds", which will presumably be Europe and Wakanda, providing plenty of fertile ground for introducing iconic Marvel characters who were active during World War Two. Skydance New Media has already proven that it is willing and able to adapt previously-minor characters and give them larger, more dynamic roles, so there will surely be some pleasant surprises for new and veteran Marvel fans alike in this game.
Given this game's setting against the backdrop of World War Two, it seems almost certain that Hydra will be its primary villainous faction. Hydra equipment can be seen in the reveal trailer, but how many of known characters will appear remains to be seen. Since Uncharted's creator is making Marvel's Black Panther and Cap game, its story will likely be a sprawling epic with many twists, turns, and reveals. Hydra mainstays such as the Red Skull, Arnim Zola, and Wolfgang von Strucker are sure to be among the game's antagonists, considering their classic roles as Hydra brass. Depending on how expansive the game's story ends up being, players may even have to face Zola in his signature robotic body. Even with the combined efforts of Captain America and Black Panther, taking down Hydra will be anything but simple. Luckily, introducing heroic supporting characters is where this game could start to become even more interesting.
Skydance's WW2 Marvel Game Could Feature Cap's Other Allies
Throughout a number of storylines, Captain America's service in World War Two has seen him fight alongside many heroes and supporting characters, with the most iconic being Bucky Barnes. Though he isn't a playable hero, the future Avengers Winter Soldier is likely to play a part as well. Since Cap will be spending time with Wakandan forces, Bucky may be elsewhere fighting with the Invaders, a team he was a member of in the comics. The Invaders consisted of many members over the years, with some of its biggest names being Bucky, Namor the Sub-Mariner, the original Human Torch, and Union Jack. If Bucky and the Invaders do end up in the game, they could be accompanied by villains such as Baron Zemo and Baron Blood as well.
Besides Bucky Barnes, another classic group of World War Two heroes are the Howling Commandos. Since Gabriel Jones is a Commando, it's likely that other familiar faces from Captain America's Marvel WW2 adventures will appear. The most significant connection would be a young Nick Fury, who usually leads the group. On the flip side of the Commandos' coin, another group of soldiers that may appear would be the Black super soldiers created in Project Rebirth, particularly Isaiah Bradley. Bradley made his first non-comic appearance in Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and would make for a powerful addition to this story. While they didn't meet during the war in the comics, it would be a worthwhile bending of canon to allow Isaiah and his brothers in arms to fight alongside Steve Rogers and his Wakandan allies.
If the team at Skydance New Media decides to really spoil Marvel fans, there are even more outlandish, but still classic, characters it could add. One character who is ripe for a Marvel game crossover is Wolverine. In Wolverine's long life, he has fought in many wars, including WW2. Even just a cameo could be a cool nod to the character's presence, though many fans would surely be happy if he had a larger part to play. Another character who was surprisingly active during the war was Blade, the vampire hunter, who fought against vampiric Nazi forces. Marvel has no shortage of characters active during WW2, so Skydance has many avenues it could explore, but a story can only hold so many characters before it begins to lose coherence.
Players May Get To Explore Wakanda During WW2
Since this game's story appears to have a heavy focus on Wakanda, it stands to reason that players will get to spend more time there than they ever have in a game. This may not be a full Marvel Black Panther game, but it will surely include a significant cast of Wakandan characters. First and foremost will be the Black Panther, Azzuri, grandfather of T'Challa. At his side will be Nanali, a Wakandan spy and leader of what appears to be a precursor to the Dora Milaje. In the comics, Nanali was Azzuri's queen, though this may not be the case in the game. The comics haven't much explored this era of Wakandan history, so there will likely be many original characters introduced in the game as its story progresses.
While Wakanda itself doesn't have much precedent, it does have an interesting tie to World War 2. In the comics, Azzuri rescued German Colonel Fritz Klaue - father of future villain Ulysses Klaue - after his plane crashed in Wakanda. The two became friends, but Klaue became obsessed with Wakanda's Panther spirit and wealth of Vibranium, resulting in Klaue becoming a new Marvel enemy of Wakanda. After some conflict, Klaue returned to Germany and continued to rise through the Nazi ranks. It wouldn't be surprising if this storyline ended up serving as inspiration for some of the game's events.
As much as World War Two isn't exactly a novel setting for Marvel Comics, it is a refreshing backdrop for a Marvel game precisely because of its ubiquity. Players rarely get to enter the shoes of these iconic characters outside the modern era, and World War Two has a wealth of characters and stories that can be explored. By featuring both Captain America and Black Panther, Marvel and Skydance can tell a unique story with a more intriguing cast of characters than most Marvel game adaptations.