The world was shocked when we found out about Chadwick Boseman’s passing. The actor died at 43 because of colon cancer in 2020. He was slated to reprise his role as the King of Wakanda in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. However, since his passing there has been lots of talk about if Marvel should recast Boseman’s role. They decided not to, however, there is still a debate over if they should have recast him or not. With the sequel up next in Marvel’s upcoming releases, a producer from the film is responding to fans who think T’Challa should have been recast.
Since Boseman’s passing there has been a social media movement – #RecastTChalla – which has advocated for a different actor to take over the role. Nate Moore, a producer on Black Panther and Marvel Studios VP of Production and Development told Total Film (via comicbook.com) that deciding if they would recast was not an easy decision, he said:
I don't know if anything about it was an easy decision. But it was a decision that, once made, we all believed in, and it led us on a path forward.
This decision to not recast has been discussed by many involved with the project. This includes Kevin Feige, who said it felt “too soon to recast.” He also noted that they have worked to continue Boseman’s legacy. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, from the trailers alone, has honored T’Challa and Boseman’s legacy, and has made it clear he will still be present in the MCU even if he’s not physically there.
As for those who think he should be recast, Moore said:
I could not imagine turning to the best young actor in the world who wasn't Chadwick, and being like, 'OK, so you're T'Challa.' I could not, and cannot, imagine that. I really couldn't. Other people will have a different answer to that question. And we're very aware of the talkback, and how people feel. And I think all of that, to be quite honest, is fair. Everybody's going to have a different opinion. I can just say, after being in it, I couldn't do it. I couldn't get there.
Along with Moore and Feige, one of the film’s stars Winston Duke also explained why he thought it was the right decision to not recast T’Challa. He said that an actor defines a character, and said Boseman heavily impacted the Black Panther.
While T’Challa has not been recast, it does look like we’ll be getting a new Black Panther. If you’ve watched the Marvel movies in order, you’ll know that the mantle of the Black Panther can and has been passed down. Between Captain America: Civil War and Black Panther we learned that there have been multiple generations of the hero, and from the trailers, we know the mask will be passed down to someone new. However, we don’t know who it will be. A lot of people are theorizing that Shuri, T’Challa’s sister and the princess of Wakanda, will likely become the new iteration of the Wakandan hero.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is one of the more anticipated movies on the 2022 movie schedule, and it seems like the movie is going to honor Boseman’s legacy while still evolving the world and characters of Wakanda.
You can catch the sequel in theaters on November 11, and you can watch Boseman’s performance as T’Challa in various Marvel movies with a Disney+ subscription.
