After his tragic passing in 2020 following a private battle with colon cancer, there has been a divide about whether or not Chadwick Boseman's iconic Black Panther role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe should be recast or not. According to his brother Derrick Boseman, the actor would want to see another actor portray the character.
After the death of Chadwick Boseman, Marvel Studios executives assured fans that the role of Black Panther would not be recast. While the decision was understandable, some argue that recasting superhero roles, even ones that were portrayed by late actors to great acclaim, is key to ensuring the legacy of a character carries on for future generations.
Speaking with TMZ, Derrick Boseman shared that his late brother would want to see the role of T'Challa / Black Panther recast, as he knew that the character means so much more than just one person. He would further add that Chadwick, of course, understood Black Panther's impact on the younger generation, and how seeing a Black superhero can inspire young kids and give them a role model that could last for many more films. On top of Derrick Boseman's recent comments, the ongoing discussion has resulted in new online petitions, like film critic Emmanuel "E-Man" Noisette's one on Change.org that hopes to get the attention of big leaders like Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige. “This is a call for the President of Marvel Studios Kevin Feige, Co-President Louis D’Esposito, and Writer/Director Ryan Coogler to reconsider their decision, and recast the role of ‘T’Challa’ in the Black Panther franchise,” Noisette wrote. “If Marvel Studios removes T’Challa, it would be at the expense of the audiences (especially Black boys and men) who saw themselves in him. That also includes the millions of fans who were inspired by the character as well.”
But while the petition is approaching its goal of 45,000 signatures, it was last month where Marvel Producer Nate Moore spoke on The Ringer-Verse podcast, shedding more light on Boseman's Black Panther and potential recasting. “You will not see T’Challa in [future Marvel films]. We just couldn’t do it,” Moore said, adding that the decision to move forward without the character was quickly made a year ago. “When Chad passed, it was a real conversation we had with [director Ryan] Coogler about what do we do, and it was a fast conversation. It wasn’t weeks, it was minutes of we had to figure out how to move that franchise on without that character,” shared Moore. “Because I think we all feel so much of T’Challa in the MCU on the screen — not in comics — is tied to Chadwick’s performance, is what he brought to that role both on- and off-screen."
While it appears that Marvel Studios is set on making it work without Boseman's presence, the petition and Derrick Boseman's comments, as well as the introduction of the multiverse that could create alternate versions of the Black Panther character, have all contributed to the possibility of a recasting. The sequel, now titled Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, is shifting the story to focus on Wakanda's rich history and the ancestors who came before, an aspect that was briefly presented in the first film. Letitia Wright's Shuri will reportedly have a bigger role, as it seems that she will step in as one of Wakanda's new bold leaders. The villain Namor and his homeworld of Atlantis have also been hinted at making an appearance in the film.
Other returning cast members include Lupita Nyong'o's Nakia, Danai Gurira's Okoye, Martin Freeman's Everett K. Ross, Winston Duke's M'Baku, and Angela Bassett's Ramonda. New additions include Dominique Thorne as Riri Williams / Iron Heart, a genius inventor who creates a suit that rivals Tony Stark's Iron Man armor. A series for Disney Plus titled Ironheart is in development. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever has faced some challenges throughout its production, including a recent injury to Wright on set that has halted production for the remainder of 2021.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is finally set to arrive in theatres on November 11th, 2022.
Source: TMZ, Change.org