What's the appropriate next step for Black Panther?

[BishopsJuice91]

If they're not recasting the role, I think I'd prefer Nakia over Shuri as the new Black Panther. I felt Lupita Nyong’o was wasted as the love interest. And Shuri, to me, works better as the funny sidekick/tech person. She as the quippy, enthusiastic acrobatic young hero sound a bit too similar to Spider-Man. Nakia would probably have more of mature vibe that I associate with Black Panther.

I’m not mad at this idea at all, I like it better than MCU Shuri taking it actually...

[MoneySpider]

I think I would make this decision in consultation with Ryan Coogler, the cast members, Chadwick Boseman's family, and maybe some other prominent Black actors and industry people to try and figure out the best way to go forward, or not.

Why would Chadwick Boseman's family be part of the discussion? I could understand if Black Panther was a character created by Chadwick and he and his family allowed Marvel/Disney to borrow the character for the MCU, but that's not the case. Disney/Marvel owns the rights to all Black Panther characters.

Unless you mean if Disney somehow tries to use Chadwick's likeness in future movies with CGI/DeepFake and would need his family's permission to do that (which is something I hope they don't do).

[MoneySpider]

Honestly I feel Marvel should do exactly what they were already planning on doing, if that was moving forward with T’Challa then go on with a recast. If Shuri is going to be stepping into the mantle then find a way to write BP out maybe killed by Namor? And proceed that way...

Killing T'Challa yet AGAIN onscreen or even offscreen will not look very good from a character standpoint. The character's already been declared dead two times already in the MCU and JUST got back from being snapped. There are so many people inspired by T'Challa after seeing him in his own solo movie, and I doubt they'd be pleased if Marvel permanently killed off the character in the MCU.

[XPac]

MCU Shuri just doesn’t seem like she is leading into becoming BP imo. They have portrayed her as a genius level tech guru not a warrior so to me it would seem forced to have her in the suit fighting. Just my opinion...

Of course in End Game she did show up to help fight THanos. She just didn't fight exactly like her brother.

I imagine if she became BP in theory she'd be more an Iron Man-ish character.

[CliffHanger2]

Killing T'Challa yet AGAIN onscreen or even offscreen will not look very good from a character standpoint. The character's already been declared dead two times already in the MCU and JUST got back from being snapped. There are so many people inspired by T'Challa after seeing him in his own solo movie, and I doubt they'd be pleased if Marvel permanently killed off the character in the MCU.

Yeah having Namor kill T'Challa is one of the worst ideas I've heard in a long time.

[KOSLOX]

I'd set the movie during the five year gap while they figure out what to do moving forward in BP three. Plus that gives us some distance from Chadwick's death if they eventually decide they want to digital pain him into select scenes.

Okoye dismissed the underwater earthquakes pretty swiftly which is a hook for a story. Have Black Panther II deal with them trying to lead Wakanda in the absence of Black Panther against Atlantis.

Also, BP one established the Heart Shaped Herb is gone. So moving forward I'd push the idea that "The Black Panther is Wakanda, and Wakanda is the Black Panther", Basts champion is whoever is needed, kind of like Mjolnir chosing someone other than Thor.

[XPac]

I'd set the movie during the five year gap while they figure out what to do moving forward in BP three. Plus that gives us some distance from Chadwick's death if they eventually decide they want to digital pain him into select scenes.

Okoye dismissed the underwater earthquakes pretty swiftly which is a hook for a story. Have Black Panther II deal with them trying to lead Wakanda in the absence of Black Panther against Atlantis.

Also, BP one established the Heart Shaped Herb is gone. So moving forward I'd push the idea that "The Black Panther is Wakanda, and Wakanda is the Black Panther", Basts champion is whoever is needed, kind of like Mjolnir chosing someone other than Thor.

That's one way to entirely sidestep the issue. There's a built in explanation of why T'Challa isn't around, and buys them more time to do whatever they want to do moving foreward.

Course, it pretty much requires Okoye to carry the film. It's a gamble... though a very intersting option.

[j9ac9k]

Honestly, I think the smartest play here is to take what has happened in real life and apply it to the film. Boseman's death has revealed just how much he has inspired people in this role. So let that be his legacy in the film as well, and have his T'Challa inspire the next BP to take up the mantle.

Now, who do you put in the suit? Shuri makes a ton of sense, and lets you build off what we've already seen in the first BP film. But I could see them going with a different character. (What was the second BP's name in the comics? Cole?) But whatever you do, you stress the legacy. That this character is being driven by the memory of who T'Challa was, and what he represented, in the same way that the franchise is now being driven by the memory of Boseman.

If handled delicately, and with respect, I think it could not only make a good film, but serve as a fitting memorial for both the man and the character he played.

Well put - this is pretty much what I've been thinking. Firstly, I'd trust Coogler with the franchise and whatever he thinks is the best way forward. But yes - this isn't just about story, or comic book canon or who could carry a film etc. This will be about Boseman because that's what the fans will be thinking about, and that can't be denied. If not presented in a way that honors him, the sequel could be dead out of the gate. So it seems to me the best way to move forward is to make the film about losing him, then honoring him. Similar to how Spider-Man:Far From Home was all about the loss of Stark, the next BP movie can be all about the loss of T'Challa. (can't imagine a good way to do it though - and having it take place during the snap doesn't make sense emotionally because we know BP comes back while Boseman can't. The mourning would seem hollow if not insensitive) The whole film can be about trying to decide how to go on and who should take the mantle and not actually have it decided until the end (or that they don't put the suit on until the climax) I think it should be Killmonger (alive via Wakandan super-science) - not just because he was a very popular character, but Michael B Jordan knew Boseman since he was a teen and was a true friend - he's a real life worthy successor and I think fans would back him, knowing he'd do it to honor Boseman as opposed to "taking his role." And then it refocuses the franchise in a way that makes sense as a story if it follows Killmonger's journey - starting out the villain, but then finding his way to becoming a hero, after being inspired by the death of his former enemy. I could also see Shuri or maybe others getting their own versions of the suit and having it really be more of a team with BP as leader. I think could see it working that way.

[Colossus1980]

I want to see the role filled in with another actor for the sequel. Maybe do one more with the new BP and have him star in the next Avengers sequel. After that have Shuri replace him. Too soon to have the BP die off.

[XPac]

Just to add this... even if the decide not to recast, in theory it doesn't mean that T'Challa has to die off. They could go the Paul Walker route and have him and Nakia ride off into the sunet together to live happily ever after.

Because T'Challa wears a full body outfit, it's not impossible to have him in the movie in a limited capacity even without recasting. Just requires a descent voice actor and a bit of CGI.

Not saying this is necessarily my preference mind you... honestly I'm not sure what my personal preference is. But just saying maybe T'Challa can depart the MCU without getting killed off. Maybe. It allows the movie to give Boseman a good bye (ala Paul Walker), and also allows a recased BP to possibly return down the line if they feel that's he right way to go.

[AndrewCrossett]

Why would Chadwick Boseman's family be part of the discussion? I could understand if Black Panther was a character created by Chadwick and he and his family allowed Marvel/Disney to borrow the character for the MCU, but that's not the case. Disney/Marvel owns the rights to all Black Panther characters.

Because Boseman IS Black Panther to hundreds of millions of fans, and basic sensitivity would suggest that his family should be part of the discussion of what should happen to him, in the absence of CB himself being able to weigh in.

Black Panther has a lot of emotional resonance for many people, and so does Chadwick Boseman's death, and I don't think anybody really cares about "who owns what" or "who has what legal rights" at the moment.

I am in favor of Shuri taking over the role if that's what they decide is best, and if Leticia Wright wants to do it (they shouldn't re-cast Shuri either). She will get a lot of hate for it... much of it concern-trolling from racists and misogynists who see "it's disrespectful to re-cast Black Panther" as a good way to help spike the world's first A-list Black superhero, and another headliner female superhero, while seeming to have "reasonable concerns."

Maybe they could actually meet that head-on by making that hate part of the story itself.

[AnakinFlair]

MCU Shuri just doesn’t seem like she is leading into becoming BP imo. They have portrayed her as a genius level tech guru not a warrior so to me it would seem forced to have her in the suit fighting. Just my opinion...

It was the same thing with Tony Stark, really. He started out as a genius tech guru that relied on his suit to do the fighting in the first movie; it was shown in subsequent movies that Tony actually started training how to fight hand-to-hand. They could condense that with Shuri, show that she's been training off screen.

As much as I'd love to see Michael B. Jordan come back, I think bringing back Killmonger would be the wrong move. It feels like it would cheapen the impact the character had in the first movie.

Personally, I hope they go with Shuri as the new Panther. I also wouldn't mind if M'Baku was the new Black Panther, if only because I loved Winston Duke's performance in the first film.


If they just recast- the one actor I think would have made a killer T'Challa is Chiwetel Ejiofor. But they can't use him, because they cast him as Mordo in Doctor Strange.

[MoneySpider]

Because Boseman IS Black Panther to hundreds of millions of fans, and basic sensitivity would suggest that his family should be part of the discussion of what should happen to him, in the absence of CB himself being able to weigh in.

Black Panther has a lot of emotional resonance for many people, and so does Chadwick Boseman's death, and I don't think anybody really cares about "who owns what" or "who has what legal rights" at the moment.

I am in favor of Shuri taking over the role if that's what they decide is best, and if Leticia Wright wants to do it (they shouldn't re-cast Shuri either). She will get a lot of hate for it... much of it concern-trolling from racists and misogynists who see "it's disrespectful to re-cast Black Panther" as a good way to help spike the world's first A-list Black superhero, and another headliner female superhero, while seeming to have "reasonable concerns."

Maybe they could actually meet that head-on by making that hate part of the story itself.

I still fail to understand how Chadwick Boseman's family has any type of say how Disney moves forward with T'Challa in the MCU's future UNLESS Disney is trying to use his likeness. To me, that's like saying Christopher Reeve's family or George Reeves' family should be consulted every time Warner Bros. wants to make a Superman movie or have Superman appear in a film. Because to a lot of people, Christopher Reeve WAS Superman, and so was George Reeves for the small screen.

These fictional characters do not belong to any one actor or actress, unless these characters were created BY the particlar actors and actresses. To me, "basic sensitivity" means Disney honors Chadwick in future movies, but his family can't stop the company from using T'Challa in future movies just because Chadwick portrayed him first and can no longer do so.

[AndrewCrossett]

I'm not saying Boseman's family should control how the character is used. I'm saying that they should have input as a matter of respect. You're treating this issue like a strictly legal matter, and it's not.

[babyblob]

I am fine with recasting. T'Challa is just too big of a character to leave off the table.
I understand wanting to be respectful asking Chadwick's family but I really dont see Disney doing that. I mean what if his wife or someone says no I dont want that character used. Are they just going to risk bad press and ignore that? Are they going to leave a major character out of the movies? I doubt it. So they wont even make it an issue. Disney is a business in the end they will do what they want. And I am pretty sure that asking his family is a risk they will not take.