Coogler on Boseman’s Death and Black Panther Sequel

Ryan Coogler, director of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, reflected on the profound grief he and the crew experienced after Chadwick Boseman's death from colon cancer in 2020 while the sequel was in development. Boseman's passing left the team devastated and unsure if they should continue the project. Coogler and co-writer Joe Robert Cole decided not to recast Boseman's role as T'Challa, instead rewriting the script to honor his legacy and have Letitia Wright's Shuri become the new Black Panther. The filmmaking process served as both a way to cope with and confront their grief, with Coogler acknowledging the full impact of the loss after the film's release. Producer Nate Moore stated that recasting was never considered due to Boseman's unique influence. The experience caused Coogler to question his future in filmmaking, but the team ultimately created a film that paid tribute to Boseman.