Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige discussed the aftermath of Chadwick Boseman’s death during Black Panther: Wakanda Foreveris pre-production.
Marvel Studios faced a tough decision in 2020 following the passing of Chadwick Boseman. Director Ryan Coogler was already hard at work on the sequel to the film which originally featured T’Challa. After the proper time frame passed, it was finally announced that Marvel Studios would be moving forward with a Black Panther sequel but not recasting the role of T’Challa.
How did Marvel Studios handle the death of Chadwick Boseman?
During Black Panther: Wakanda ForeverDuring the Chadwick Boseman Worldwide Press Conference, Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige explained what happened behind the scenes in the wake of Chadwick Boseman’s tragic passing:
“Well, I mean, Ryan and Nate are really going to be the best to answer that. In my recollection, it was, the shock turned into, well, you know, what do we What should we do, should we do something?
Despite Chadwick Boseman’s death in August 2020, filming on Black Panther: Wakanda Forever still managed to start in June 2021. Kevin Feige went on to explain how the sequel’s focus naturally shifted to supporting characters:
“And I think relatively quickly it was determined that this amazing set of characters and this world that had been created on screen had to continue. Ryan pours his all and everything into everything he does, and was working for almost a year on a version of the movie with T’Challa in it and finding out and pouring his life experience of doing the first movie in there and then when we lost Chad all of that, obviously, was then poured into this film, as well as the idea of a celebration of Wakanda and the character in the foreground, plus the heartbreak that of course is going to come with that.”
Disney’s official synopsis for the film reads: “In Marvel Studios’ ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’, Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett), Shuri (Letitia Wright), M’Baku (Winston Duke), Okoye (Danai Gurira) and the Dora Milaje (including Florence Kasumba), fight to protect their nation from intervening world powers in the wake of the death of King T’Challa. As the Wakandans strive to embrace their next chapter, the heroes must band together with the help of War Dog Nakia (Lupita Nyong’o) and Everett Ross (Martin Freeman) and chart a new course for the kingdom of Wakanda.
Directed by Ryan Coogler from a script he co-wrote with Joe Robert Cole, wakanda forever stars Letitia Wright, Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira, Winston Duke, Florence Kasumba, Dominique Thorne, Michaela Coel, Tenoch Huerta, Martin Freeman and Angela Bassett.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever now playing in theaters. Stay tuned for the latest MCU news and subscribe to our YouTube channel for more content.
