According to director Ryan Coogler, Chadwick Boseman wouldn't have wanted Captain America: Civil War and quickly proved he was the perfect person to play the honorably heroic character. Boseman appeared in three other MCU films and was expected to appear in several more. However, he tragically ed away in August of last year.
Hollywood, fans, and those he loved were left reeling by Boseman's death, and the aftershocks are still being felt today. Black Panther 2, the long-awaited sequel to his first MCU solo film, is still in the works, albeit in an altered form. Marvel boss Kevin Feige confirmed Boseman will not be recast for the film, nor will he be recreated with CGI. Nevertheless, there's still much that remains uncertain about Black Panther 2, which is currently scheduled for release in July 2022.
Coogler recently spoke to THR about his Oscar-nominated film Judas and the Black Messiah, which he produced. During the conversation, he touched upon making Black Panther 2 without Boseman, which he described as "difficult." However, Coogler added, he feels Boseman wouldn't have wanted the film to stop, because he was "so about the collective." Coogler explained:
"You've got to keep going when you lose loved ones. I know Chad wouldn't have wanted us to stop. 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]. 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."
In the face of a loss as massive and profound as Boseman's, it's understandable for some to wonder if Black Panther 2 should happen at all. He was the face of the franchise, and to lose an icon like him has affected millions of people. At the same time, Coogler's comments sum up exactly why Black Panther 2 is still moving forward. Per Coogler, Boseman believed the Black Panther mantle meant more than just him, and he would've wanted to see it live on. Undoubtedly, it will be strange and even difficult to see a Black Panther 2 without Boseman in the lead, but this way, his legacy can live on.
If done correctly, Black Panther 2 can offer closure to both Boseman's fans and those who worked with him. Co-stars Daniel Kaluuya and Lupita Nyong'o have both stated Black Panther 2 can and should honor Boseman, and there's no doubt Coogler is taking that into as he writes the script. Boseman's loss will be felt for a long time, but perhaps this movie can help celebrate his life in a positive way, to show he won't ever be forgotten by those who loved him.
Source: THR
