Chadwick Boseman Turned Down The Opportunity To Read Black Panther 2 Script For A Tragic Reason
Ryan Coogler reveals that weeks before his death, Chadwick Boseman passed on reading the Black Panther 2 script because he was too tired to read.
Ryan Coogler recently appeared on Wakanda Forever: The Official Black Panther Podcast and revealed the sad reason why Chadwick Boseman never read the script for Black Panther 2. Coogler apparently had the script finished and ready for Boseman to read, but the actor ultimately turned down the chance. Coogler revealed that Boseman passed away a couple of weeks after the call and said “I found later that he was too tired to read anything.”
Of course, we now know that Chadwick Boseman was battling colon cancer at the time, so it’s not surprising that he wasn’t up to reading the script for Black Panther 2. The podcast episode is definitely worth listening to, as direct Ryan Coogler reveals a lot about the script process for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Coogler specifically talks about how the film was going to pick up after T’Challa returns from being dusted by Thanos’ snap and that it would have been a deep dive into T’Challa’s character.
Coogler also touches on how he decided he would be introducing Namor and Atlantis in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and how the rights to the character were tricky when he first was coming up with ideas. Of course, the script had to change in quite a few ways after Chadwick Boseman passed away, but Coogler made sure to say that the revamped Black Panther 2 is “spiritually, very similar.” Undoubtedly, we would have all liked to see Boseman get the chance to reprise the iconic role again, but it sounds like the movie is going to be a fitting tribute to the actor and his legacy.
While Chadwick Boseman won’t be in Black Panther 2, his presence will be felt and T’Challa’s death will be addressed. The citizens of Wakanda will have to also find someone new to take on the mantle of Black Panther, so we’ll find out who that will be when Black Panther: Wakanda Forever comes out. Fans have some guesses as to who might be the new Black Panther, especially after the trailer was released, but Marvel could always surprise us.
Most people are assuming that Letitia Wright’s Shuri will inherit the role from Chadwick Boseman in Black Panther 2. Shuri is Wakandan royalty along with being a genius and T’Challa’s sister, so this would definitely be a fitting replacement. Of course, it remains to be seen if this is the way Ryan Coogler decides to go with the story.
Along with addressing the death of Chadwick Boseman’s T’Challa and finding a fitting replacement, Black Panther 2 will be juggling a lot of new story beats. The film is also set to introduce Namor the Sub-Mariner (Tenoch Huerta), the underwater city of Atlantis, and Dominique Thorne’s Riri Williams aka Ironheart. Ironheart will be getting her own Disney+ series in the future, so there’s a lot of groundwork for the film.
Still, if anyone can handle all of these story elements and pay proper tribute to Chadwick Boseman in Black Panther 2, it’s Ryan Coogler. If you want to see how it all plays out for yourself, you don’t have long to wait. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever hits theaters on November 11.
