Chadwick Boseman's death was a shock for the entire film fraternity in Hollywood and the thousands of fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe around the world. Making Black Panther: Wakanda Forever without him was a challenge for director Ryan Coogler. During the film’s international premiere, Coogler spoke up about the challenges of replacing Boseman as the lead protagonist in the franchise.
For months after Boseman's death, Coogler said in multiple interviews that the lead Black Panther character would not be recast. The upcoming Black Panther 2 was meant to honor Boseman's legacy, but a Black Panther film is incomplete without any hero taking charge. Based on the many trailers of the film, it seems like the film will honor Boseman's character and show his passing, with the title of Black Panther then being passed on to someone else, potentially a female character. But, throughout the film, Boseman's absence will be felt.
While on the red carpet of the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever premiere, Coogler was asked by Deadline about replacing the lead character. “It’s complicated,” he began and went on to say that while working on this film, he was “trying to channel” Boseman and his lessons. “Chadwick was always about pushing things forward while being aware of what took place behind him. That concept is one of the things that I will always hold in terms of lessons from him,” said Coogler. Two years after Boseman's death, the director had to pause when speaking about him, evidently getting emotional at just the mention of his name. He even wore a necklace with the actor’s photo on it to the premiere.
Creating Black Panther: Wakanda Forever without Boseman was not an easy experience for any of the cast and crew, as many of them have revealed in several interviews. When the sequel was first announced, Coogler revealed that he wanted to leave the franchise, as he couldn’t imagine making another film without Boseman. However, based on his relationship with the brilliant actor, Coogler decided that they “had to keep moving forward” even though they had lost Boseman “in the physical sense.” He praised the actor for being a “giant of a man,” both on and off-screen, and once again reiterated that they are “trying to honor him on the big screen” with the upcoming sequel.
The official Black Panther: Wakanda Forever plot synopsis also confirms that Boseman's King T'Challa has died, and Queen Ramonda, Shuri, M'Baku, Okoye and the Dora Milaje come together to “fight to protect their nation from intervening world powers.” It remains to be seen who will eventually don the Black Panther costume and carry forward the legacy that Boseman started.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is scheduled to premiere in theaters on November 11, 2022.
Source: Deadline/Twitter