THE reason not to recast T'Challa, played by the late Chadwick Boseman, in the MCU was revealed by Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige in an interview with Empire magazine. Boseman passed away from colon cancer in August 2020, and the Black Panther sequel Wakanda Forever began shooting 10 months later.
Feige claimed that at the moment, recasting T'Challa felt wrong. He explained: “It just felt like it was much too soon to recast. 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 [director] Ryan [Coogler] poured that into the story.”
The conversations, according to Feige, were on understanding “how could the legacy of Chadwick – and what he had done to help Wakanda and the Black Panther become these incredible, aspirational, iconic ideals – continue?”
Last November, Marvel Studios confirmed that the character will not be replaced in the MCU. However, many MCU fans wanted to see the role recast, because they feel that having the character continue to exist will respect Boseman. There is already a growing petition calling for a recast.
According to Feige, the sequel would concentrate on the grieving process, how to deal with the emotion of loss, and any possible repercussions.
Earlier this month, the late Chadwick Boseman won an Emmy for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance for his part in What If...? as Star-Lord T-Challa. During the D23 Expo, he was also honoured as a Disney Legend, an award given to those who have made significant contributions to the Walt Disney Company.
Boseman's brother accepted the award on his late brother's behalf, saying: “Thank you for honouring my brother. I want to say: Chad, we’ll always love you. And mum and dad will always love you. To me, mum and daddy are also legends. Because it takes a king and a queen to create a king.”
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever will release in theatres on Nov 11.
