One of the most pressing questions surrounding Marvel Cinematic Universe sequel Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is how the movie will address the passing of leading man Chadwick Boseman in canon. It’s a tragic and massively unfortunate position for the cast, crew and creative team to find themselves in, but audiences will be heading into theaters in July 2022 wondering how the delicate situation will be handled onscreen.
With T’Challa out of the picture, Letitia Wright’s Shuri is expected to take up the mantle in a project that needs director Ryan Coogler firing on all cylinders. The filmmaker has to deliver a comic book blockbuster capable of living up to the expectations of following an original that was a cultural phenomenon and Best Picture nominee, while also expanding the mythology of Wakanda, passing the torch to a new title hero and celebrating Boseman’s legacy.
It’s an unenviable task, and as you can see below, MCU fans on Reddit have already started debating the most suitable way for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever to explain why T’Challa is no longer on the throne.
There are plenty of opposing viewpoints on display, not many of which you could definitively rule out at this stage. It might be a morbid way to discuss one of next year’s most hotly-anticipated releases, but Black Panther: Wakanda Forever will have Boseman’s shadow looming over every frame, so it’s reasonable to expect fans to be discussing it.
