In another Domain cover feature surrounding the upcoming release of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever — the continuation of the hit Boseman-drove 2018 film — the Marvel Studios president, 49, said the idea of recasting Boseman’s T’Challa “felt like it was far too early.”
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Boseman died in August 2020 at the age of 43 of colon cancer, and filming for the spin-off began 10 months later.
Feige continued in his Realm interview, “[Marvel legend] Stan Lee always said that Marvel addresses the world external your window. And we had talked about how, as extraordinary and fantastical as our characters and stories are, there’s a relatable and human component to everything we do.”
“The world is as yet processing the deficiency of Chad. And Ryan emptied that into the story,” he added. Feige proceeded to say that “conversations” with Coogler, 36, regarding the spin-off “were altogether about, indeed, ‘What do we do straightaway?’ ”
“And how should the legacy of Chadwick — and what he had done to assist Wakanda and the Black Panther with becoming these incredible, aspirational, iconic ideas — continue? That’s what everything without question revolved around,” he said.
Feige originally announced that Boseman’s titular role wouldn’t be recast during Disney’s Investor Day back in December 2020. The earlier month, chief maker Victoria Alonso said that Boseman’s character wouldn’t be delivered digitally either.
In January 2021, Feige let Deadline know that Wakanda Forever would focus on “furthering the folklore and the inspiration of Wakanda,” as well as take on “the task of honoring and respecting the ongoing learnings and teachings from Chad as well.”
Meanwhile, Boseman was honored with a post mortem Emmy Award earlier this month for his role in Marvel’s What If… ? series. During the Creative Arts Emmys ceremony, the late actor won in the outstanding character voice-over performance category for his role as Star-Master T’Challa in the “What If… T’Challa Became a Star-Ruler?” episode.
Days later, Boseman was officially named a Disney Legend at the D23 Exhibition. Accepting the award on his behalf was his brother Derrick Boseman. In his remarks, according to Variety, Derrick called his late sibling “an amazing person,” and added in part that “in Chad’s case, it appears to be that life is imitating art.”
“In the event that we pay attention in this thing called storytelling, a story is being told to us all. … Thank you for honoring my brother,” he added.
“I want to say: Chad, we’ll always cherish you. And Mother and Dad will always cherish you.
As far as I might be concerned, Mother and Daddy are also legends because it takes a king and a sovereign to create a king.” Black Panther: Wakanda Forever hits theaters Nov. 11.
— Kevin Feige on Marvel’s decision to not cast recast Chadwick Boseman’s T’Challa in #WakandaForever pic.twitter.com/Pa5UzSYm0J
— Black Panther 2 News (@bpanthernews) September 26, 2022
