The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a behemoth franchise, although certain properties have managed to become global sensations. Chief among them is Ryan Coogler’s Black Panther, which made history for its box office and Awards Season performance. And Chadwick Boseman’s brother recently spoke about the movie’s legacy, and whether the Marvel star would want T'Challa recast.
The late actor Chadwick Boseman became a hero to many in real life thanks to his acclaimed performance as the title character of Black Panther. But his death in the summer of 2020 shocked fans and friends alike, while also seemingly putting the future of the franchise in jeopardy. The sequel Wakanda Forever will attempt to honor both the actor and T’Challa, but it turns out his brother Derrick Boseman thinks the character should simply be recast. What’s more, he believes that Chadwick would agree.
Derrick Boseman reportedly spoke to TMZ about the future of the Black Panther franchise. While Ryan Coogler and company have maintained that the MCU won’t be recasting the role following Chadwick’s passing, the late actor’s brother seems to feel differently. What’s more, Derrick maintains that he and Chadwick would be in agreement that T’Challa is a bigger figure than any one performer.
There are countless questions about what Black Panther: Wakanda Forever will contain, and exactly how the mysterious blockbuster will honor the legacy of both Chadwick Boseman and King T’Challa. Ryan Coogler previously went on record calling it the most difficult task in his professional career, while the cast and crew have been open about their continued state of mourning.
Still, there are some out there, including Derrick Boseman, who would rather see T’Challa recast then killed off in-universe prior to Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. But this doesn’t appear to be the plan at Marvel Studios, with the upcoming sequel seemingly showing who becomes the next ruler of the fictional country. There are some obvious choices, including familiar faces like Okoye (Danai Gurira), Shuri (Letitia Wright) or M’Baku (Winston Duke).
Some of the chat about T’Challa being recast comes in response to reported drama about Shuri actress Letitia Wright. On top of being injured on set, rumors recently swirled that the ending of Black Panther 2 was being reworked to aim the story away from Wright’s character.
While all signs indicate T'Challa not being recast in the MCU, fans were delighted to have more content from the late Chadwick Boseman thanks to his role in the animated series What If…? Boseman recorded his dialogue prior to his shocking death, allowing for one final adventure as his signature character. We’ll just have to see exactly how T’Challa’s legacy is approached in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is currently expected to arrive in theaters November 11th, 2022. In the meantime, check out the 2022 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience.
