Kevin Feige: It was “much too soon” to recast T’Challa
By Dan Selcke
Fans around the world were shocked in August of 2020 when Chadwick Boseman, an actor who had shot to fame as King T’Challa in Marvel’s Black Panther, died of colon cancer; he had kept his struggle with the disease private, so a lot of people felt blindsided.
It also meant that Marvel and Disney had to decide what to do with the Black Panther franchise. The first movie was a huge hit and director Ryan Coogler was already working on a sequel. Did the studio recast T’Challa with another actor or rework the story to write him out?
It ended up taking the latter option. Speaking to Empire, Marvel boss Kevin Feige explained why replacing Boseman felt wrong. “It just felt like it was much too soon to recast,” he said. “Stan Lee always said that Marvel represents the world outside your window. And we had talked about how, as extraordinary and fantastical as our characters and stories are, there’s a relatable and human element to everything we do. The world is still processing the loss of Chad. And [director] Ryan [Coogler] poured that into the story.”
"The conversations were entirely about, yes, ‘What do we do next?’ And how could the legacy of Chadwick — and what he had done to help Wakanda and the Black Panther become these incredible, aspirational, iconic ideas — continue? That’s what it was all about."
We’re not entirely sure how the new movie — Black Panther: Wankada Forever — will answer those questions, although it looks like T’Challa’s death has been incorporated into the story. Odds are the mantle of Black Panther will pass to his sister Shuri, played by Letitia Wright.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever trailer and release date
Whatever happens exactly, the trailer makes the movie look worth watching:
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever comes out in theaters on November 11.
Next. House of the Dragon cast and crew break down the big time jump. dark
To stay up to date on everything fantasy, science fiction, and WiC, follow our all-encompassing Facebook page and sign up for our exclusive newsletter.
Get HBO, Starz, Showtime and MORE for FREE with a no-risk, 7-day free trial of Amazon Channels