Chadwick Boseman's T'Challa won't be recast in Black Panther 2, Marvel says

A sequel to Black Panther is proceeding following the tragic death of Chadwick Boseman, but his character will not be recast, Marvel has revealed.

Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige spoke on Thursday during a Disney presentation for investors and previewed upcoming Marvel films, among them being a sequel to the hit 2018 film Black Panther. Boseman, who played the titular Black Panther, died in August following a battle with colon cancer, and since then, it was unclear whether Marvel might find a new actor to step in as his character of King T'Challa. But in the presentation, Feige announced Marvel won't do so.

"Chadwick Boseman was an immensely talented actor and an inspirational individual who affected all of our lives," Feige said, per USA Today. "His portrayal of T'Challa the Black Panther is iconic and transcends any iteration of the character in any other medium from Marvel's past. It's for that reason we will not recast the character."

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Feige didn't provide further details about how the Black Panther sequel will proceed without Boseman, but he said the studio would "honor the legacy" that the actor helped build by continuing to explore "all of the rich and varied characters introduced in the first film."

With Marvel not planning to recast T'Challa, it's possible another character from the original movie, including Letitia Wright's Shuri or Winston Duke's M'Baku, could take on the role of Black Panther in the Marvel franchise. The Black Panther sequel is set to bring back director Ryan Coogler, and it will hit theaters in 2022.