When Chadwick Boseman tragically lost his four-year battle with colon cancer and passed away at the end of August, it seemed inevitable that the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Black Panther 2 would be hit with a delay. After all, not only did the actor’s friends and collaborators need time to process and grieve his loss, but the sequel to one of the most important and influential blockbusters of the modern era had just lost its leading man.
Boseman was set to start training for his return as T’Challa in September, but following his death, it appeared that the project had been placed on an indefinite hold, which was completely understandable. However, in a surprising turn of events, it was announced yesterday that not only had Narcos: Mexico star Tenoch Huerta been cast in a mystery villain role, but also that Black Panther 2 is confirmed to start shooting in July of next year.
With the entire development process needing to be reworked from the ground up after Boseman passed, delaying the start of filming by just four months has taken a lot of people by surprise. After all, T’Challa was poised to become one of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s marquee heroes, and everything from the script to the casting will have required huge changes from director Ryan Coogler and his team.
In any case, it still seems very unlikely that Black Panther 2 will arrive as currently scheduled in July 2022, especially when the shoot alone is said to last for up to six months. Putting together a blockbuster of this size and scale in just one year is obviously a daunting task, and with the movie set to pay tribute to Boseman’s legacy, Coogler and the rest of the returning players will look to deliver a fitting follow-up that honors his memory.
