‘Black Panther’ Sequel Gets July 2022 Release Date, Chadwick Boseman’s Character Won’t Be Recast

‘Black Panther’ Sequel Gets July 2022 Release Date, Chadwick Boseman’s Character Won’t Be Recast

The Black Panther story is set to continue in the wake of the passing of its star actor, Chadwick Boseman. 

He passed away this past August after fighting a private four-year battle with colon cancer. After his shocking death, many questioned the future of Marvel’s Black Panther as a sequel was in the works.

It was previously reported that the studio would not use a digital form of the esteemed actor for the highly-anticipated follow-up.

Chadwick Boseman

Marvel exec Victoria Alonso shut down the idea and said in a recent interview, according to The Wrap:

“No. There’s only one Chadwick and he’s not with us. Our king, unfortunately, has died in real life, not just in fiction, and we are taking a little time to see how we return to history and what we do to honor this chapter of what has happened to us that was so unexpected, so painful, so terrible, really.”

Now, it’s also been announced that Chadwick Boseman’s character, T’Challah, won’t be recast.  Marvel President Kevin Feige said at Disney Investor Day Thursday (Dec. 10th):

“I wanted to acknowledge the devastating loss of a dear friend and member of the Marvel Studios family. Chadwick Boseman was an immensely talented actor and an inspirational individual who affected all of our lives professionally and personally. His portrayal of T’Challa the Black Panther is iconic and transcends iteration of the character in any other medium from Marvel’s past.”

He added:

“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 of Wakanda and all of the rich and varied characters introduced in the first film.”

Director Ryan Coogler will return to head the film, which is reportedly scheduled to start filming next July. 

The original was released in February 2018 and made $1.3 billion globally. It also won three Oscar awards.

What are your thoughts on the direction of the sequel? Comment and let us know.