The long game has reportedly always been for Letitia Wright’s Shuri to eventually inherit the mantle of Black Panther from her big brother T’Challa, but the future of the entire franchise has been plunged into doubt following Chadwick Boseman’s shocking and unexpected death from colon cancer in August at the age of just 43.
The actor was even set to begin training for his return as the Marvel Cinematic Universe superhero just weeks before he passed, but the battle he’d been fighting privately for four years tragically got the better of him in the end. Black Panther 2Â was penciled in to start shooting in March of next year in order to hit theaters in May 2022 and while it hasn’t been officially confirmed yet, most people are expecting the sequel to be delayed indefinitely.
Moving forward on the follow-up to one of the most commercially successful and culturally important blockbusters ever made already came burdened with huge pressure, never mind the fact that the leading man was taken from us far too soon. There were reports circulating that Marvel Studios would accelerate their plans and have Shuri become the MCU’s new Black Panther in the second installment, but the actress admitted that it’s too early to even be talking about making the movie, with the cast and crew still grieving over Boseman’s death.
“We’re just still mourning Chad, so it’s not something I even want to think about. The thought of doing it without him is kinda strange. We’re just grieving at the moment, so it’s trying to find the light in the midst of it.”
Due to the unforeseen and most unfortunate circumstances, Ryan Coogler and his team will be under absolutely no obligation to make the release date for Black Panther 2, and it could be a good few years yet before the film comes together. When it does, though, it will inevitably stand as a fitting tribute to an actor that inspired a generation with his performance.
