CinemaBlend participates in affiliate programs with various companies. We may earn a commission when you click on or make purchases via links.
It's an exciting time to be a Marvel fan. Because despite a delay in Phase Four, the studio has been working on a variety of highly anticipated projects. Chief among them is Ryan Coogler's Black Panther sequel, titled Wakanda Forever. And ahead of production beginning, Kevin Feige has opened up about the legacy of late actor Chadwick Boseman on the movie's set.
Chadwick Boseman had an accomplished career in film before taking on the role of T'Challa/Black Panther in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He became a household name and real-life hero to many as a result of his acclaimed performance, and fans are curious to see how the story will continue in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Now Marvel boss Kevin Feige has addressed his legacy, saying:
It’s clearly very emotional without Chad. But everyone is also very excited to bring the world of Wakanda back to the public and back to the fans. We’re going to do it in a way that would make Chad proud.
Well, there you have it. While moving on with the Black Panther franchise without Chadwick Boseman's title character is definitely a difficult task, it seems that the cast and crew are committed to honoring the late actor through the mysterious new story. Said story will be kept under wraps for the foreseeable future, but emotions for Ryan Coogler and company are seemingly high.
Kevin Feige's comments to Variety help to show what it's really like working within the confines of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The first Black Panther was a groundbreaking blockbuster that made a ton of money at the box office, while making history with a number of Academy Award nominations. Chadwick Boseman's performance was universally acclaimed, and Ryan Coogler had to greatly change the story of Wakanda Forever to continue the story of the beloved location, while also addressing the loss of both Boseman and presumably his character T'Challa.
Marvel fans can re-watch Chadwick Boseman's time in the MCU on Disney+. You can use this link to sign up for the streaming service.
The emotions that Kevin Feige spoke to have been shared in the brief comments made by Ryan Coogler and the cast about returning to the MCU with Black Panther 2 without their friend and colleague Chadwick Boseman. The Creed filmmaker called reworking the project as the hardest thing he's ever had to do professionally. Meanwhile icons like Angela Bassett and Lupita Nyong'o have shared how hard it's been to work on the project while also very much still mourning.
Exactly how the story of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever will go down remains a mystery for the time being. Smart money says the story will at least partly be about who will take on the mantle of the Panther, and presumably rule Wakanda in the process. There are a number of qualified choices, including Shuri, Okoye, and M'Baku.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is currently expected to arrive in theaters on July 8th, 2022. In the meantime, check out the 2021 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience.
