The untimely passing of Chadwick Boseman last year left the entertainment industry, hardcore Marvel Cinematic Universe fans, and moviegoers in general speechless. After a private four-year fight with colon cancer, the star, known for his powerful historical roles as well as the transcendent role of King T'Challa in Black Panther, sadly passed away on August 28, 2020. Now, the long-awaited sequel to Black Panther is about to start production this summer, and prior to that, director and screenwriter Ryan Coogler has talked with The Hollywood Reporter about doing the impossible: making Black Panther 2 without Chadwick Boseman.
In the interview, Coogler touched on how much Boseman meant to the entire production and how difficult it would be to return to make the sequel without him.
"He was somebody who was so about the collective. Black Panther, that was his movie. He was hired to play that role before anybody else was even thought of, before I was hired, before any of the actresses were hired. On that set, he was all about everybody else. Even though he was going through what he was going through, he was checking in on them, making sure they were good. If we cut his coverage, he would stick around and read lines off camera [to help other actors with their performances]."
The acclaimed director also revealed that he thinks that the fallen icon would most definitely want the Black Panther team to keep pushing forward without him.
"It’s difficult. You’ve got to keep going when you lose loved ones. I know Chad wouldn’t have wanted us to stop," Coogler said. "So it would be harder for me to stop. Truthfully. I’d feel him yelling at me, like, 'What are you doing?' So you keep going."
Black Panther 2 will commence filming this summer and premiere on July 8, 2022. The sequel is still being penned and directed by Ryan Coogler, and as previously reported, in light of recasting Chadwick Boseman's role as T'Challa, it will explore the vast world of Wakanda & the beloved characters introduced in the first film.
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