The death of Chadwick Boseman hit many of us hard, and one can’t help but think about the late actor in the midst of awards season and ahead of the Black Panther sequel. Questions are swirling around the upcoming film, with many wondering how writer/director Ryan Coogler and Marvel Studios will continue the series without Boseman. Despite Boseman’s absence, there are those who believe his T’Challa could still make an appearance (via archive footage or digital recreation). Now, one Black Panther 2 producer has commented on that possibility.
Nate Moore, who produced the original Black Panther film and a number of other Marvel Studios productions, is currently in pre-production on Black Panther 2. As filming draws near, the veteran producer was asked about the possibility of Chadwick Boseman’s T’Challa making an appearance, and the answer he gave to Vanity Fair was pretty clear:
No. I can say. That is not going to happen. I would be honest if it was. Chad's passing is a whole life thing, and I loved the guy as much as the character. I think we have to be very careful and thoughtful about when he appears, because he meant so much to a lot of people as much as he meant to us. But yeah, we wouldn't use that as a ‘Come next week; maybe you’ll see Panther!’ We wouldn't, and he's not.
As some fans may have expected, Marvel Studios doesn’t appear to have plans for Chadwick Boseman’s character to appear, and Nate Moore’s reasoning is completely understandable. Boseman’s loss is so visceral for so many, and it would be insensitive to string viewers along with the chance of a possible appearance.
The cast and crew of Black Panther have been honest about how they’re dealing with the loss of their friend and colleague. Lupita Nyong’o recently opened up about how “hard” it is to move on with Chadwick Boseman, but she feels Ryan Coogler is paying tribute to him and his legacy in a fitting way through the upcoming film.
Coogler himself has also been open about working on the sequel without his collaborator. The director has acknowledged the void Chadwick Boseman leaves on the set, yet he knows the late actor would want them to keep going in spite of his absence.
In typical Marvel fashion, nothing has been revealed in regard to Black Panther 2’s plot, though the film has apparently cast at least one of its villains. Filming is set to officially commence this summer in Atlanta.
There’s no telling what audiences can expect when they return to Wakanda next year for Black Panther 2. What is clear, though, is that Nate Moore, Lupita Nyong’o, Ryan Coogler and the rest of their collaborators are taking great care as they push on and continue the work of the late, great Chadwick Boseman.
Black Panther 2 is scheduled to arrive in theaters on July 8, 2022.
