Marvel’s catalog continues to expand with various media. Before 2021, we received one, maybe two (and rarely three) releases a year, but then the Endgame happened, and Marvel dialed its production to eleven. Naturally, the focus on quantity was made at the expense of quality, and during the next two years, Marvel’s catalog of adaptations expanded, but the quality became inversely proportional to the quantity of Marvel’s annual output.
Among these adaptations was Marvel and Disney’s attempt to capitalize on the Avengers by releasing the Marvel’s Avengers video game. Admittedly, the game launched a whole year before the Infinity Saga came to a conclusion, but it clearly signaled the impending dip in quality that soon spread to the rest of Marvel’s multimedia offering. Following that particular fiasco of a release, one would think that Marvel wouldn’t dare try and make yet another video game, but apparently, that’s not the case—enter Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra.
The upcoming game, developed by Skydance New Media with the legendary and talented Amy Henning helming the project, is inspired by the 2010 Marvel Comics’ Captain America/Black Panther: Flags of Our Fathers limited comic book series. The narrative is set in Occupied Paris during World War II and follows an uneasy alliance between Captain America and Black Panther as they attempt to prevent the rise of Hydra. However, given the time period of the game, it’s quite obvious that T’Challa isn’t the one donning the Black Panther costume. Instead, it’s his grandfather, Azzuri.
We already know how Steve Rogers’ Captain America fits into the rise of Hydra and the history of the paramilitary global terrorist organization. But how does Azzuri fit into the narrative, given Wakanda’s secrecy, and how did the Black Panther find himself involved in the events that transpired in Paris in 1943? Well, we don’t really know how Azzuri came to Paris or what even prompted his arrival in Europe, but it’s evident from the game’s trailer that he and Captain America haven’t met before.
However, Captain America/Black Panther: Flags of Our Fathers comic book tells a slightly different story. Namely, the comic book first introduces Captain America as the ultimate super-soldier fighting against the Nazis. In 1941, Cap was sent to Wakanda to prevent the Nazi attempt to invade Wakanda and exploit its vibranium reserves. There, he encountered the Black Panther, the then-king Azzuri (whose real name was T’Chanda, by the way), who was defending his country by seemingly hunting and killing almost everyone who crossed Wakandan borders.
By the time Captain America landed, Azzuri had already beheaded several Nazi troopers and pinned their heads on spears. Since he regarded both Americans and Nazis as potential threats seeking to exploit Wakanda’s vibranium, Azzuri refused to work with the Steve Rogers and ordered him to leave. Azzuri was very protective of his country and people, but unlike T’Challa, he was significantly more hostile and aggressive towards outsiders, with Nazis believing he hunted soldiers for sport — and it’s implied that he did.
However, the two ended up fighting the Nazis alongside one another, and Azzuri came to respect Captain America, later referring to him as his “American friend” — something his wife, Queen Nanali, never believed she would hear him say. Nanali was killed in Flags of Our Fathers by Colonel Fritz Klaue, who tried to sway Azzuri and the Wakandan government to side with Nazi Germany. In retaliation, Azzuri ripped off Klaue’s steel hand, causing the latter to flee back to Germany and adopt a similar-sounding name, Klaw — though most fans know his son, Ulysses Klaw, from the MCU.
Now, the game is obviously loosely based on the comics, considering that we see Nanali alive and well. However, her role was changed from the comics, as she’s now a leader of the Wakandan Spy Network aiding Azzuri in Paris. With that said, her presence in the game could possibly indicate that one of the game’s major villains could be Colonel Klaue, which would justify Azzuri’s coming to Paris to hunt down Klaue for whatever reason Amy Hennig and her writing team could come up with. Given just how amazing her narratives are, we firmly believe that Klaue could’ve given Azzuri a good reason.
Of course, these are all speculations and assumptions, as no details have been made public yet. However, given the romantic tension between Nanali and Azzuri in the trailer, it’s not outside the realm of possibilities that she dies in the game as well, and by Klaue’s hand (pun intended) no less. This could be a major moment of character growth for Azzuri. If Klaue is truly the game’s major villain, we’re likely going to witness the epic scene in which Azzuri rips off his steel hand.
Sadly, we’re going to have to wait for Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra to launch to actually see how its story unfolds. The game is scheduled to release this year, but neither Skydance New Media nor Plaion (the game’s publisher) have given an official date or at least a release window. Given the game’s conspicuous absence from the Game Awards, it’s entirely possible that we’re looking at a late 2025 release date. But that’s pure speculation on our part.