How Marvel's Kevin Feige Paid Tribute To Chadwick Boseman While Revealing Plans For Black Panther Universe

Chadwick Boseman in Black Panther

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It's been a very exciting week for Marvel fans. Disney's investor's call revealed a myriad of exciting plans for the future of the MCU, both on the small and silver screens. This presentation also spoke about Black Panther's continued life following the tragic death of actor Chadwick Boseman. But before those reveals, Kevin Feige took the time to honor the late actor.

Chadwick Boseman's death came as a shock to the general public, as he'd privately been battling colon cancer. While his countless fans and friends mourned the loss of a true talent, questions also arose regarding what will happen with the Black Panther franchise. During the investor's call it was revealed that Marvel won't be recasting T'Challa, allowing the studio to honor Boseman. Before revealing this Kevin Feige spoke to the late actor's character and work ethic, sharing:

I wanted to acknowledge the devastating loss of a dear friend and member of the Marvel Studios family. Chadwick Boseman was an immensely talented actor and an inspirational individual who affected all of our lives professionally and personally. His portrayal of T’Challa the Black Panther is iconic and transcends iteration of the character in any other medium from Marvel’s past. To honor the legacy that Chad helped us build through his portrayal of the king of Wakanda, we want to continue to explore the world of Wakanda and all of the rich and varied characters introduced in the first film.

Chadwick Boseman immediately captured the attention of moviegoing audiences when he debuted as T'Challa in Captain America: Civil War. But the role was greatly expanded in Ryan Coogler's Oscar favorite Black Panther, and his performance buoyed the blockbuster to great success. And it's for that reason that Kevin Feige took the time to honor and thanks Boseman for his tenure in the MCU.

Chadwick Boseman's tenure in the MCU can be re-watched at Disney+. You can use this link to sign up for the streaming service.

Kevin Feige's comments from the four-hour Disney investor's meeting highlights how much Chadwick Boseman's work meant to people, especially as he portrayed Black Panther. Boseman broke ground as a Black superhero, with Ryan Coogler's original movie featuring Black talent both in front and behind the camera. It's a movie that broke records and was a major step forward for inclusion, leading to the late actor becoming a real-life hero.

With Marvel studios not recasting the role of T'Challa, it's assumed that the character will pass away within the world of the universe. This should make room for another character to take on the mantle, and there will no doubt be a variety of theories on the subject. The two most obvious seem to be Shuri or M'Baku, but only time will tell.

Black Panther 2 is currently set to hit theaters July 8th 2022. In the meantime, check out our 2021 release list to plan your trips to the movies in the New Year.

Corey Chichizola
Movies Editor

Corey was born and raised in New Jersey. Graduated with degrees theater and literature from Ramapo College of New Jersey. After working in administrative theater for a year in New York, he started as the Weekend Editor at CinemaBlend. He's since been able to work himself up to reviews, phoners, and press junkets-- and is now able to appear on camera with some of his favorite actors... just not as he would have predicted as a kid. He's particularly proud of covering horror franchises like Scream and Halloween, as well as movie musicals like West Side Story. Favorite interviews include Steven Spielberg, Spike Lee, Jamie Lee Curtis, and more.