Black Panther Director Says Killmonger’s Fate Was Already Set Before Film Started Production

Warning: This article contains spoilers for Black Panther.

It isn't farfetched to hear that Michael B. Jordan's Erik Killmonger isbeing considered one of the greatest villains in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The character was a well-written villain. The abandoned cousin of Chadwick Boseman's T'Challa, Killmonger had striking ideals that served as a commentary on the current standing of people of color and as a statement on the relationship between African Americans and the Africans.

However, despite his realistic motivations and his compelling backstory, Ryan Coogler saw to it that Killmonger's life would end during the final moments of Black Panther. Though some might think that it would have been possible to reform Killmonger, Coogler tells Empire that he believes that there was simply no way for T'Challa and his cousin to coexist because of their opposing personalities and their ideals.

"No, for him we always – that wasn't something that we went back and forth on. His end was the same as draft one that it was in the film. Just because the idea was that these two things can't coexist; if T'Challa and him… you know, that was a great tragedy of it for T'Challa, I think. But Killmonger was too far gone."

It would have probably been easier for Wakanda to change Killmonger into a better person had he come back to the homelands when he was a teenager, but at this point, the villain's hard set in his ways.

Black Panther is currently screening in cinemas.

Read: Chadwick Boseman Bought 316 Underprivileged Youth Tickets To Black Panther