Kevin Feige Explains Why Marvel Decided to Not Recast Black Panther’s T’Challa

Following a protracted battle with cancer, Chadwick Boseman, the star of Black Panther, passed away, putting an early end to what had the makings of a really epic acting career. He was sadly missed by everyone, and his contribution to the Marvel Cinematic Universe as T’Challa was lauded.

Fans questioned whether the role would be recast in order for the plot of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever to continue when it became evident that Marvel Studios intended to move forward with the project. The MCU has instead decided to put T’Challa to rest, retiring the hero that Chadwick Boseman made his own.

Kevin Feige on Recasting of T’Challa

Kevin Feige, president of Marvel Studios, discusses the choice not to remake the part and to instead find a way to commemorate Chadwick Boseman while also taking a fresh approach to the sequel in an interview with Empire.

“It just felt like it was much too soon to recast,” he explains. “Stan Lee always said that Marvel represents the world outside your window. And we had talked about how, as extraordinary and fantastical as our characters and stories are, there’s a relatable and human element to everything we do. The world is still processing the loss of Chad. And Ryan poured that into the story.”

“The conversations were entirely about, yes, ‘What do we do next?'” Kevin Feige continues. “And how could the legacy of Chadwick – and what he had done to help Wakanda and the Black Panther become these incredible, aspirational, iconic ideas – continue? That’s what it was all about.”

It’s no small task to recast such a famous role. While it is understandable that Marvel took the decision not to, there is also a point to be made that a character that has the potential to inspire so many people should not be retired so soon.

Another new face has fans buzzing, even as Black Panther: Wakanda Forever aims to honor that legacy. Long thought to be the ideal nemesis, Namor the Sub-Mariner wasn’t really seen by the public until San Diego Comic-Con. He frequently spars with Black Panther in the comics, which makes him the perfect choice to provide some conflict and drama to the film.

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