During Disney’s massive number of announcements during its Investor Day event, Marvel studio head Kevin Feige took a moment to honor the late Chadwick Boseman and confirm to fans that the studio will not be recast the actor’s iconic Black Panther role. While a sequel to the Oscar-winning blockbuster is in the works, Feige made it clear that Marvel will honor Boseman by not trying to fill the role with another actor or a CGI double. Via Deadline:
“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.”
Feige continued, “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.”
Like all things Marvel, the details of Black Panther 2 are currently under wraps, but we do know that writer and director Ryan Coogler will be returning. Following the news of Boseman’s passing, Marvel fans expect Letitia Wright’s Shuri to take on the mantle of the Black Panther, which would mirror the events of the comics. However, Wright recently found herself in the middle of a social media conspiracy after tweeting a conspiracy theory video that discouraged people from taking the COVID-19 vaccine and also contained transphobic remarks. She has since deleted her Twitter and Instagram accounts.
(Via Deadline)