Disney announced on Thursday that the upcoming film will honor the actor's memory by not recasting the character.
In honor of the king. Disney announced on Thursday, during the Disney Investor Day event, that the studio plans on respecting the memory of the late Chadwick Boseman by not recasting his character for the upcoming Black Panther sequel.
Boseman, who tragically died in August at the age of 43 following a quiet battle with colon cancer, starred in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as T'Challa, a.k.a Black Panther, the king of the technologically advanced African nation of Wakanda.
According to Disney, Black Panther 2 will not attempt to replace Boseman, but will instead look at other aspects of the world in which the characters live.
"Black Panther 2, opening July 8, 2022, is being written & directed by Ryan Coogler," the studio tweeted. "Honoring Chadwick Boseman’s legacy & portrayal of T’Challa, @MarvelStudios will not recast the character, but will explore the world of Wakanda & the rich characters introduced in the first film."
Ryan Coogler previously directed and co-wrote the first Black Panther, and will be returning to work his celebrated filmmaking magic once again.
It's important to note, for those wondering about how they might make a Black Panther film without having the Black Panther character, Disney stated that Boseman's character, T'Challa, will not be recast. However, the mantle of Black Panther is one that is taken on by whomever is deemed the protector of Wakanda. Therefore, another character may end up becoming the Black Panther in name.
In November, Marvel Studios EVP Victoria Alonso spoke with the Argentinian outlet Clarin and confirmed that the studio also has no plans to digitally recreate Boseman's likeness.
"No. There’s only one Chadwick and he’s not with us. Our king, unfortunately, has died in real life, not just in fiction, and we are taking time to see how we continue the story and what we do to honor this chapter of what has happened to us that was so unexpected, so painful, so terrible, really," Alonso said in Spanish. "Because Chadwick was not only a wonderful human being every day for the five years that we spent together, but it also seems to me that what he did as the character elevated us as a company, and left his mark in history."
"I know that sometimes two months go by or three months go by in production and you say, well, it was a long time," she continued. "But it is not a long time, we have to think carefully about what we are going to do, and how, and think about how we are going to honor the franchise."
For more on Boseman's inspirational life and legacy, see the video below.
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