Black Panther Chadwick Boseman recast would've been "too soon"
President of Marvel Studios Kevin Feige explained their direction for Wakanda Forever.
Black Panther sequel Wakanda Forever arrives later this year, four years after the original. Sadly, due to the tragic death of star Chadwick Boseman in 2020, it will no longer focus on his character T'Challa.
Some wondered whether Boseman would be recast in the role, but shortly after his passing Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige announced that they would not go down this route, and would instead focus on different characters in the world of Wakanda who had been established in the previous film.
Now, speaking in this month's Empire magazine, Feige has explained this decision, saying that when the team were developing the sequel, "it just felt like it was much too soon to recast".
He added: "Stan Lee always said that Marvel represents the world outside your window. And we had talked about how, as extraordinary and fantastical as our characters and stories are, there’s a relatable and human element to everything we do. The world is still processing the loss of Chad. And Ryan poured that into the story."
The decision to incorporate Boseman's legacy and loss into the film seems to have factored into the scripting process heavily.
Feige said: "The conversations were entirely about, yes, 'What do we do next?' And how could the legacy of Chadwick – and what he had done to help Wakanda and the Black Panther become these incredible, aspirational, iconic ideas – continue? That’s what it was all about."
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The first trailer for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever made its debut at Marvel's San Diego Comic-Con panel this year, giving us our first look at Tenoch Huerta's Namor, as well as the returning cast including Letitia Wright, Angela Bassett and Lupita Nyong'o.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is released in cinemas on Friday 11th November 2022. Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide to see what's on tonight.
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Authors
James Hibbs is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering programmes across both streaming platforms and linear channels. He previously worked in PR, first for a B2B agency and subsequently for international TV production company Fremantle. He possesses a BA in English and Theatre Studies and an NCTJ Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.
