Black Panther II Will Not Recast T’Challa

Black Panther II Will Not Recast T’Challa

During the Disney+ investor presentation, Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige announced that the upcoming Black Panther II will not recast T’Challa following the death of Chadwick Boseman. Instead, the film will likely lean on previously introduced characters and tap into the rich world established in the Ryan Coogler film.

“Chadwick Boseman was an immensely talented actor and an inspirational individual who affected all of our lives professionally and personally,” Feige said (via SlashFilm). “His 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 through his portrayal of the king of Wakanda, we want to continue to explore the world and all the rich and varied characters introduced in the first film.”

Marvel Studios’ Black Panther follows T’Challa (Boseman) who, after the death of his father, the King of Wakanda, returns home to the isolated, technologically advanced African nation to succeed to the throne and take his rightful place as king. But when a powerful old enemy reappears, T’Challa’s mettle as king – and Black Panther – is tested when he is drawn into a formidable conflict that puts the fate of Wakanda and the entire world at risk. Faced with treachery and danger, the young king must rally his allies and release the full power of Black Panther to defeat his foes and secure the safety of his people and their way of life.

The film stars the late Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Oscar winners Lupita Nyong’o and Forest Whitaker, Danai Gurira, Oscar nominees Daniel Kaluuya and Angela Bassett. It also features Martin Freeman, Letitia Wright, Winston Duke, and Andy Serkis.

RELATED: Chadwick Boseman: A Tribute for a King Special Now Available on Disney+

Based on the Marvel Comics by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the film was directed by Ryan Coogler, who co-wrote the screenplay with Joe Robert Cole. Kevin Feige and David J. Grant were producers; and Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso, Jeffrey Chernov, Nate Moore, and Stan Lee served as executive producers. The film was produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures and is currently available on Disney+.

Black Panther received seven nominations at the 91st Academy Awards including Best Picture, with wins for Best Costume Design, Best Original Score, and Best Production Design. Black Panther is the first superhero film to receive a Best Picture nomination and the first MCU film to win an Academy Award. It also received three nominations at the 76th Golden Globe Awards, two wins at the 25th Screen Actors Guild Awards, and three wins at the 24th Critics’ Choice Awards from 12 nominations, among others.

Black Panther 2 is currently slated for a May 6, 2022 release.

Black Panther 2, opening July 8, 2022, is being written & 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.

— Disney (@Disney) December 11, 2020