When Chadwick Boseman died in 2020, plans for the Black Panther sequel changed, especially when Marvel decided to not recast the role of T'Challa and move on with the follow-up without the main leader of Wakanda. Director Ryan Coogler was already working on the script prior to his death. Some fans are wondering what the story would have looked like if Boseman is still with us.
Speaking recently with The Hollywood Reporter, Coogler revealed some details about their original plans for the sequel prior to Boseman's death where he said that the story would have been told mostly from T'Challa's perspective and approached as a "character study."
"The script we wrote before Chadwick passed was very much rooted in T’Challa’s perspective," he said. "It was a massive movie but also simultaneously a character study that delved deeply into his psyche and situation."
In that same interview, producer Nate Moore also explained why they decided to focus the sequel on having another character take the mantle of the hero and how it became a natural direction for them on the story of the film.
"The Black Panther has existed in Wakanda for centuries, so the notion of someone else picking up the mantle didn’t seem inorganic. But once that had to become a reality, then it was, ‘OK, what makes the most sense for the story? Who actually makes the most sense to take this thing on?’ All of the characters in the film have a different idea of who should don the mantle and why," he said.
It is interesting to see what they have in store for the upcoming sequel as they're moving forward without their king. Whether you agree with the recasting or not, you can tell by the trailers that the film will definitely honor Boseman's legacy in his portrayal of T'Challa.
Also Read: Black Panther 2's Designer Chose White To Honor Chadwick Boseman's Death
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is set to release in theaters this November 11. You can check more details about it here.
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