Chadwick Boseman’s T’Challa Will Not Be Recast in “Black Panther II”
Yesterday was Disney’s big investor presentation, which revealed a huge bounty of entertainment news, including all things Marvel Studios-related. One of the most bittersweet things to come from the presentation was that T’Challa, better known as Black Panther, will not be recast in Black Panther II in the wake of the late, great Chadwick Boseman’s death. Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige shared the news, which makes perfect sense and is not terribly surprising, yet it’s still heartening in the most bittersweet of ways. Boseman embodied the role of T’Challa so fully, with such commitment and grace and excellence, it’s really impossible to imagine someone else stepping in at this point. Here’s what Feige had to say:
“Chadwick Boseman was an immensely talented actor and an inspirational individual who affected all of our lives professionally and personally. His portrayal of T’Challa the Black Panther is iconic and transcends any iteration of the character in any other medium from Marvel’s past. And it’s for that reason that we will not recast the character. However, to honor the legacy that Chad helped us build through his portrayal of the king of Wakanda, we want to continue to explore the world and all the rich and varied characters introduced in the first film.”
Those characters will be brought back by writer/director Ryan Coogler, who’s already working on Black Panther II. How Coogler handles Boseman’s passing within the script will be, we imagine, the most difficult part of his creative process. Yet there is little doubt that Coogler and the rest of his creative team won’t come up with a fitting tribute to Boseman’s embodiment of T’Challa and find a way to honor the character and the man who so ably played him. Black Panther II is set to arrive in theaters on July 8, 2022.
For more on Chadwick Boseman, check out these stories below:
Marvel Unveils New “Black Panther” Intro Honoring Chadwick Boseman
Netflix Reveals First Look of “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” With Chadwick Boseman in Final Role
Downtown Disney Unveils a Stunning Chadwick Boseman Mural
Watch This Touching Chadwick Boseman Tribute
ABC to Air “Black Panther” Ad-Free with Chadwick Boseman Tribute
Featured image: Chadwick Boseman (Black Panther/T’Challa) Ph: Matt Kennedy. ©Marvel Studios 2018
