It's been a difficult period for Marvel's various productions over the course of 2020, as is the case for pretty much every major film and TV studio. Without the ability to film things safely in person due to the pandemic, a lot of plans have been shifted around, and then the news came that Chadwick Boseman had passed away of cancer, leaving millions of fans heartbroken and Black Panther 2 without a leading man.
Ever since the film first arrived in the MCU, it was an instant hit with Black Americans, who came out in huge numbers to support one of the biggest, perhaps the biggest, blockbuster film to ever star a predominantly Black cast helmed by a Black director. While the MCU has never attempted to tie itself closely to real-world political conflict, Black Panther was undoubtedly a major milestone for Black representation in Hollywood, and ever since, many have looked to the franchise and character as a rallying point for Black identities in media.
So when the #BoycottGeorgia movement began to pick up steam, there were quite a few people waiting to see what Marvel would do with Black Panther 2's production. For those unaware, Georgia recently passed Senate Bill 202, which places several restrictions on voting within the state. The bill allows the Georgia state board, which is Republican-controlled, to take over the process of disqualifying votes they deem illegitimate, and also places other restrictions like making it illegal to hand out food and water to voters who are waiting in line.
Many have criticized the bill as an attempt at voter suppression, implementing policies that will target Black voters and make it increasingly difficult for them to exercise their right to vote. In order to protest the change, many film productions have pulled their projects from Georgia as an economic incentive to repeal the law. Black Panther 2 director Ryan Coogler has stated in an op-ed for Shadow and Act, however, that while he is “profoundly disappointed” by the law, he will not be pulling the project out of Georgia, for fear of hurting those who are impacted most by the new law.
While Coogler disagrees with Senate Bill 202, there has been some backlash to the #BoycottGeorgia movement from those who fear that the boycott would hurt the middle class more than it would help get the law repealed. Despite his decision to remain in Georgia, Coogler offered his support to others and asked them to continue fighting against the bill: “I will encourage everyone working with me to tap in with the local community directly affected by Senate Bill 202 and to leverage their influence and resources to aid in the fight for this particular and essential pillar of democracy.”
Black Panther 2 arrives in theaters on July 8, 2022.
Source: Shadow and Act