*Marvel Studios has confirmed that production on “Black Panther 2” will begin sometime in July 2021.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, production was initially scheduled to begin in March 2021, but that was scrapped upon news of Chadwick Boseman’s death. The titular star died on Aug. 28 following his years-long private battle with cancer.
We previously reported, while details of the “Black Panther” sequel remain on the low, executive producer Victoria Alonso said the follow-up to the blockbuster action film will not use a digital double for the late actor.
“No. There’s only one Chadwick, and he’s no longer with us. Sadly, our king has died in real life, not only in fiction, and we’re taking a little time to see how we continue the story and how to honor this chapter of what has unexpectedly happened to us, so painful and terrible to be honest,” Alonso said in an interview with Argentine newspaper Clarín. “Chadwick wasn’t only a wonderful human being, every day of the 5 years we spent together, but also, I believe, that what he did as a character elevated us as a company, and has left his moment on history.”
READ MORE: Digital Double of Chadwick Boseman Will Not Be Used in ‘Black Panther 2’
Producers behind Disney/Marvel’s “Black Panther” are said to be unsure on how to move forward with the sequel following the death of Boseman, who played the title role in the first film.
Disney is faced with two options on how to proceed with the “Black Panther” franchise without Boseman. Hire a new actor and risk pissing off the fandom or allow Letitia Wright, who plays Black Panther’s sister Shuri, to take over the role (which actually occurs in one of the comic series).
The actress is expected to return with a more prominent role in BP2.
Alonso confirmed that Marvel hopes to pay tribute to Boseman’s legacy.
“Because Chadwick was not only a wonder of a human being every day for the five years that we spent together, but it also seems to me that as a character what he did elevated us as a company and has left his moment in history. I know that sometimes two months go by or three months go by in production and you say, ‘Well, it was a long time.’ But it is not a long time. We have to think carefully about what we are going to do and how and think about how we are going to honor the franchise.”
Lupita Nyong’o, Winston Duke, and Angela Bassett are among the actors who are expected to reprise their roles.
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