When “Black Panther” hit theaters in 2018, it received generally positive reviews from the public and critics, with many praising the late Chadwick Boseman for his excellent performance as the title character.
King T’Challa was a new-age hero for a new, uncertain time. Chadwick Boseman, who has played characters with multiple personalities, joined an all-star cast including Lupita Nyong’o and Michael B. Jordan to deliver a poise and charisma performance. Black Panther is poised to prove to Hollywood that African-American narratives have the power to generate profits from all audiences. The film was about more than the miracle of being acknowledged; it was an indication of real advancement. New Black futures—intricate and lush and free—were opening up.
However, an unforeseen in one of those futures was Boseman’s death from colon cancer in 2020. The franchises are built on star power and don’t have Boseman, one of Marvel‘s brightest and most promising actors. And “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” is haunted by Boseman’s absence, wrapped in the type of melancholy that is impossible to ignore.
Chadwick Boseman originally got the role of T’Challa without auditioning
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The idea of making a movie dedicated to the superhero “Black Panther” has had since 1992, but there was not any real progress until 2014. That year, Chadwick Boseman was cast as T’Challa without having to go through an audition. This news was announced less than a month after the deal between him and Marvel became official. Thanks to the role of Black Panther, Boseman received numerous accolades for his performance in this movie including a BET Award, two MTV Movie & TV Awards, a Screen Actors Guild Award,…
Chadwick Boseman sadly passed away in 2020
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Unfortunately, on August 28, 2020, our favorite Back Patter passed away after a battle with colon cancer. The news of his death came as a shock to millions of fans and his co-stars. Danai Gurira, who played the role of Okoye, wrote: “He was zen and sweet and funny (with the very best laugh), attentive, and truly, truly, good. I can’t even wrap my mind around this loss. A loss resonating in my own heart as well as around the globe. (…) I am so thankful to have taken the Black Panther journey with him. To have known him, spent time in his light and leadership, and to call him forever a friend.” Lupita Nyong’o, who played T’Challa’s romantic interest Nakia, wrote a lengthy statement a few days after Chadwick Boseman’s death. It reads: “He set the bar high by working with a generosity of spirit, creating an ego-free environment by sheer example, and he always had a warm gaze and a strong embrace to share. (…) Chadwick’s hands were strong enough to carry the weight of the film and free enough to clasp mine when I needed it.”
The production of “Black Panther 2” carried on, and recently the cast held another Comic-Con panel
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On Nov. 11, Marvel’s “Black Panther” returns with its long-awaited sequel. Writer-director Ryan Coogler and his co-writer Joe Robert Cole were forced to rewrite the script to include T’Challa’s death, with the studio firm in its decision not to either recast T’Challa or use digital effects to resurrect him.
But changing doesn’t mean forgetting. In the Marvel Cinematic Universe Mega-Panel at San Diego Comic-Con, director Ryan Coogler and the “Black Panther” casts are continuing to honor Boseman and his influence.
The movie director Ryan Coogler said: “The last time we were all together on that stage, Chad was with us, and it was beautiful.”
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Lupita Nyong’o noted that making the second movie while grieving Boseman felt “very therapeutic” for her, since it was hard coming to terms with losing him and that everyone is still processing it in their own way. The actress also revealed that the call sheets for the movie didn’t have a number 1. “That was reserved for Chadwick. He was with us.”
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Letitia Wright, who played T’Challa’s little sister, Shuri, said that the cast and the crew feel like a family. They feel that it is a gathering of people who care greatly and who want to “honor the legacy that we are trying to carry on of what Chadwick started.”
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Winston Duke, who played M’Baku, also noted that real life and the movie correlate a lot, as everyone is mourning the loss of “one of our cohorts, one of our collaborators, and a really great friend.”
The cast and the crew hope that the audience likes the new movie as it expands the world of Wakanda and was handled with “love, care, and style.”
Participants react onstage at the Marvel Cinematic Universe Mega-Panel during 2022 Comic Con International: San Diego
Source: Kevin Winter/Getty Images
