Disney has announced that Marvel Studios will not recast T’Challa who is the ‘Black Panther’ in the sequel movie Wakanda to honour late actor Chadwick Boseman.
The official Twitter handle of Disney announced that, even though the role will not be recast, they will look out for characters who already played roles in the sequel, and use those who they deem apt for the role of the ‘Black Panther’. They wrote:
“Black Panther 2, opening July 8, 2022, is being written and directed by Ryan Coogler. 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”.
Marvel Studios head, Kevin Feige, reiterated during his presentation at Disney Investor Day, that they will not recast the character played by the late Chadwick Boseman, and that legacy of the character ‘Black Panther’ will continue on but not with someone new in the iconic role.
“Boseman’s 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, we want to continue to explore the world of Wakanda and all the rich and varied characters introduced in the first film.” He said
The sequel is scheduled to be released on July 8, 2022, and will be written and directed by Ryan Coogler.
Chadwick Boseman’s T’Challa character was first introduced 2016s Captain America: Civil War, and his Wakanda Forever salute reverberated around the world after the release of Black Panther two years ago.
The superhero film was such a huge hit that within a couple of months of its release, makers announced its sequel.
‘Black Panther’ made more than one billion dollars globally, in less than a month after its 2018 release.
However, Boseman, who was scheduled to star in Marvel’s Black Panther 2, died in August at age 43, after fighting a private battle with colon cancer.
A statement posted on his Twitter account, on August 29, 2020 shared the tragic news that the T’Challa actor had passed away following a battle with stage IV colon cancer.
While there had been some speculation in the press about Boseman’s health in the year before his passing, the actor and his family chose to keep his cancer battle private.
In a tribute following Boseman’s death, Coogler said he was among the many who had no knowledge of Boseman’s illness.
“Because he was a caretaker, a leader, and a man of faith, dignity and pride, he shielded his collaborators from his suffering,” Coogler wrote. “He lived a beautiful life. And he made great art.”
