Actor Winston Duke has confirmed that one of the most memorable comedic lines in Black Panther, in which his character M'Baku calls Danai Gurira's Okoye a "bald-headed demon", was entirely improvised on set rather than scripted. Speaking on the red carpet after Marvel's Hall H panel at San Diego Comic-Con 2026, Duke said director Ryan Coogler allowed him to run with the moment because it fitted M'Baku's free-spirited, culturally rooted personality, drawing partly on Nigerian Igbo tradition. The revelation highlights the creative latitude Marvel gave its cast during the original film and adds context to a line that has become a fan favourite.

Duke also discussed news from the same Comic-Con panel, including the casting of David Jonsson as the next Black Panther and M'Baku's apparent involvement in Avengers: Doomsday. He said he offered Jonsson encouragement and welcomed him into the franchise the same way he had been welcomed on his own first film. Other reveals from the panel included Black Panther III, set for release on 15 December 2028, and a new Ghost Rider film starring Ryan Gosling, while Avengers: Doomsday is due in cinemas this December and Spider-Man: Brand New Day later this month.