I will never forget the feeling I had; of waking up, and seeing the shocking news that Chadwick Boseman had tragically passed away at the age of 43. I was shaken.
Now, just under a year later, some fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe are suggesting that Kevin Feige recast T’Challa, Chadwick’s titular character in Black Panther, in honour of the Academy Award nominee.
Following Chadwick’s incredible performance as T’Challa in both Captain America: Civil War and Black Panther, the Da 5 Bloods star lost his life, after a lengthy battle with cancer. This terrible news shook Marvel Studios, who had already began scripting a sequel to the acclaimed Black Panther.
After Chadwick left an incredible legacy behind, head of Marvel Studios, Kevin Feige, assured fans that he would not be recasting him in any upcoming movies, and that Black Panther II would instead focus on another character.
Since, many have asked to think again about possibly recasting T’Challa, including E-Man’s Movie Reviews, who – at the time of writing – has 4,180 signatures on his petition to Marvel, Kevin Feige, director Ryan Coogler and The Walt Disney Company.
E-Man’s Movie Reviews believes that to kill of T’Challa would be at the expense of audiences; especially Black boys and men, who saw themselves in the character.
“By not recasting, it could stifle opportunity for one of the most popular, leading Black superheroes to add on to their legacy. The #1 way to kill a legend is to stop telling their story,” wrote E-Man’s Movie Reviews.
He also added that this would not be an act to replace Chadwick Boseman, but to merely continue the portrayal of T’Challa within the MCU. “#RecastTChalla is a call to fulfil the role that Chadwick Boseman worked so hard for the world to see.”
Since Chadwick’s sad passing, his legacy has been immortalised in a career-defining role; for his stint opposite Viola Davis in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, for which he won a Golden Globe and has since been nominated for an Academy Award.
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