Black Panther 2 is going ahead, with Marvel recently confirming that the studio won’t be recasting or digitally replacing Chadwick Boseman, who played the titular hero – Boseman died from colon cancer in August 2020.
Director Ryan Coogler is currently working on the sequel’s script, and there’s some question about what shape the story will take. According to Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige, we’ll get to see more of the fictional kingdom of Wakanda, for one thing.
“So much of the comics and that first movie is the world of Wakanda,” Feige told Deadline (opens in new tab). “Wakanda is a place to further explore with characters and different subcultures. This was always and initially the primary focus of the next story.”
He added: “We’re not going to have a CG Chadwick and we’re not recasting T’Challa. Ryan Coogler is working very hard right now on the script with all the respect and love and genius that he has, which gives us great solace, so it was always about furthering the mythology and the inspiration of Wakanda. There’s also the task of honoring and respecting the ongoing learnings and teachings from Chad as well.”
The movie is due to start filming in July 2021 in Atlanta. Letitia Wright, Winston Duke, Lupita Nyong’o, and Angela Bassett will return, while Narcos: Mexico star Tenoch Huerta is said to be in talks to play an unspecified antagonist.
Black Panther 2 is due to hit the big screen on July 8, 2022. In the meantime, catch up with the MCU with our guide to watching the Marvel movies in order.