When it was announced that another Black Panther movie was to come after the death of actor Chadwick Boseman, who portrayed the titular superhero aka T’Challa in the 2018 hit film, Marvel fans wondered how another story could be told without him.
Some even wondered if the franchise would continue with a different actor taking on the role; it was later revealed that T’Challa would not be recast in the film.
In a new interview with Empire, Marvel boss Kevin Feige explained the reason for the decision.
“It just felt like it was much too soon,” Feige said. “Stan Lee always said that Marvel represents the world outside your window…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 Ryan [Coogler] poured that into the story.”
Coogler, the writer and director of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, worked alongside Feige to create a story that honored Boseman. When it came to crafting it, Feige said that the conversations focused on figuring out “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?”
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever releases in theaters on November 11.
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