In a mega-trailer, Marvel announced the sequel to Ryan Coogler’s blockbuster film, Black Panther. The news arrived after speculation of the franchise’s fate following the passing of Chadwick Boseman in August 2020.
In a seeming nod to Boseman’s character, the sequel is titled, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, and will arrive in theaters on July 8, 2022.
The franchise’s first film release in 2018 spurred a celebration amongst Black moviegoers who paid homage to the first Black superhero of their generation. Social media and Black support propelled the commercial reception of Black Panther and simultaneously proved the profitability of Black stories to Hollywood.
Boseman’s unexpected death served as a blow to the Black community at the height of last summer’s Black Lives Matter protests .Fans of Boseman’s character, T’Challa, wondered whether Hollywood would still see the value in the world of Wakanda without its protagonist.
In an interview with Yahoo Entertainment, actress Lupita Nyong’o, spoke about how Ryan Coogler plans to honor the late actor’s legacy in the sequel.
“His idea, the way which he has reshaped the second movie is so respectful of the loss we’ve all experienced as a cast and as a world. So it feels spiritually and emotionally correct to do this,” she said. “And hopefully, what I do look forward to, is getting back together and honoring what he started with us and holding his light through it. Because he left us a lot of light that we’re still going to be bathing in. I know that for sure.”
The upcoming sequel will continue to explore the world of Wakanda and will not recast Boseman’s role of T’Challa.
