The Black Panther star passed away in 2020 aged 43
Marvel has revealed that they currently have no plans to recast Black Panther following the death of star Chadwick Boseman in 2020 – and apparently the decision took mere minutes to make.
Boseman rose to global fame thanks to his portrayal of Marvel’s T’Challa – aka the mythic Wakandan hero Black Panther – in the 2018 MCU movie of the same name. In news that shocked the entire world, the star sadly and suddenly passed away in 2020 after a secret battle with colon cancer – leaving the character’s fate up in the air.
Despite last appearing on screen in 2019’s Avengers: Endgame and lending his voice to an episode of Marvel’s animated What If series which recently aired on Disney+ earlier this year, fans have been left largely in the dark as to how the studio might handle the character’s return in 2022 follow up Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
However audiences may now have an answer as to whether the character will be recast, thanks to an interview with Marvel’s Vice President of Development Nate Moore on the Ringer Verse podcast.
When quizzed on what the chances were of seeing T’Challa in future instalments of the MCU, Moore replied: “It’s a great question… I would say… you would not see T’Challa in the MCU 616 universe. We couldn’t do it. When Chad passed it was a real conversation we had with [Ryan] Coogler – and it was a fast conversation. It wasn’t weeks, it was minutes of ‘we have to figure out how to move this franchise on without that character'”.
Moore added: “I think we all feel that so much of the character of T’Challa in the MCU on the screen… is tied to Chadwick’s performance. It’s what he brought to that role both on and off screen, I’d argue.
“At no point did we consider recasting him.”
Watch the full clip below:
MCU VP of Development Nate Moore puts to rest any discussion about recasting the character of T’challa as Black Panther. Says he talked with Ryan Coogler about it, and “we just couldn’t do it” more on @RingerVerse. T’challa is gone guys you agree or no? pic.twitter.com/MYoWKyqlmF
— Van “#1 Voice in Wrestling Media” Lathan Jr (@VanLathan) November 14, 2021
When Moore mentions Earth 616 – that’s the current universe in which all of Marvel’s stories have taken place so far – but thanks to yesterday’s Spider-Man: No Way Home trailer, we now know that other multiverses may be crossing paths with this reality.
Does this mean we might see alternative universe versions of T’Challa brought in to take the Black Panther franchise forward?
Only time will tell – however as one of Marvel’s biggest projects currently in production, the possibility certainly allows for a smooth transition for a character that audiences across the world have grown to love and look up to.
Still, it’ll be hard to beat the heart, gravitas and humour that Boseman so effortlessly brought to the role – and deep down, we all know he’ll always be Wakanda’s true king.
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