BLACK PANTHER II Director Ryan Coogler Describes Challenges Of Making The Sequel Without Chadwick Boseman

Black Panther II director Ryan Coogler has opened up on the challenges of making the sequel without its star, describing that process as "the hardest thing I've ever had to do in my professional life."

By JoshWilding - Mar 12, 2021 12:03 AM EST

Filed Under: Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

Following the tragic death of Chadwick Boseman last year after a lengthy battle with cancer, the decision was made by Marvel Studios (some time later) to continue developing Black Panther II.

It goes without saying that the movie will be vastly different now, and we remain in the dark when it comes to how both Boseman and T'Challa will be honoured here. The character isn't being recast, so chances are he'll be killed off somehow, thereby leaving the door open to a new hero taking over the mantle.

Recently, writer and director Ryan Coogler spoke to Jemele Hill on the Jemele Hill Is Unbothered podcast, and shared his grief over the loss of Boseman.

"You know, I’m currently going through it. One thing that I’ve learned in my short or long time on this Earth, however, you want to look at it, it’s difficult to have perspective on something while you’re going through it," the filmmaker explained. "This is one of the more profound things that I’ve ever gone through in my life, having to be a part of keeping this project going without this particular person. Who was like the glue that held it together."

Coogler understandably didn't share any specifics about his plans for the Black Panther sequel, but openly admitted to finding the process of carrying on without the franchise's lead to be a difficult one.

"That said, you have a personal life, you have a professional life, you got a private life. When you work in something that you love, those things blend, they come together right?" he continued. "Your life kind of becomes your work for the better part of it. So, I’m trying to find a work-life balance, so I’m working on building two things that can stand on their own. I’m not there yet. But, this is without question, the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do in my professional life."

Who ultimately inherits the Black Panther mantle remains to be seen, but there are plenty of exciting possibilities. The most important thing for the sequel will be honouring what came before, while ensuring this version is as inspiring and impactful as the original. Thankfully, the movie in good hands with Coogler.

Click the "Next" button below to see the
characters we think could appear in Black Panther II!

10. Monica Lynne

Nakia wasn't the most interesting of love interests for T'Challa in the first Black Panther movie, so if Marvel Studios is looking to move on from her (don't worry, we have some other ideas for how the character could be used), then Monica Lynne would be a great choice to fill that particular void.

In the comic books, Monica Lynne is a singer who saves the hero from drowning after he's defeated by Erik Killmonger. She ultimately became his long-term love interest, and was involved in many of T'Challa's adventures. If he doesn't factor into the sequel, though, there are other ways Monica could be used. For example, why can't she be a love interest for Shuri here instead?

That would be a groundbreaking move for Marvel Studios, and one which brings even more diversity to the Marvel Cinematic Universe with the possible new face of the Black Panther franchise.

9. S'Yan

S'Yan is T'Challa's uncle and T'Chaka's brother. N'Jobu was portrayed as the King of Wakanda's brother in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, of course, but there's no reason there can't be another sibling!

In the comic books, S'Yan inherited the title of King and Black Panther until his nephew T'Challa was ready for the throne, and remained at his side as a counsellor in the years that followed. There are definitely ways the character could be used in this sequel, and he's someone with a limited enough history that Marvel Studios probably wouldn't struggle to completely reinvent him.

We'd love to continue exploring the history of the Black Panther mantle, though, so if there's a way that could be incorporated into the sequel via S'Yan, it could be a game-changer for the franchise.

8. Namor The Sub-Mariner

Avengers: Endgame included an Easter Egg which definitely appeared to point to Atlantis factoring into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and possibly Black Panther 2. That sequel would be the perfect place to introduce Namor the Sub-Mariner, especially given the complicated history the two kings share.

They clashed on a number of occasions over the years, and while it's hard to say what could lead to a clash between Wakanda and Atlantis, it could prove to be something as simple as whoever holds the Black Panther mantle deciding to investigate what the undersea earthquake was Okoye initially dismissed.

Namor's big screen debut is long overdue at this stage, and this could be the perfect place to bring him into this shared world and make the anti-hero a huge part of future stories that unfold there.

7. Malice

Malice was initially introduced as one of Killmonger's mutated allies during his vie for the throne of Wakanda. The time has now passed for that in some respects, but taking Nakia down a villainous route (especially if she's mourning the death of T'Challa) could be an interesting, unexpected twist.

Her comic book history is somewhat convoluted, but there's plenty of potential there to use Nakia in a different light. She's died and been resurrected - that played a big role in why she headed down such a dark route - but there are a lot of fun ways her villainous transformation could be handled.

After initially appearing to be one of T'Challa's closest allies, the sequel could reveal that she was corrupted somewhere along the way and actually played a role in his death. That would make Shuri's battle with her personal, and give Lupita Nyong'o a much more interesting role in this follow-up.

6. Achebe

Achebe is one of Black Panther's weirder villains, but someone who could definitely stand to be reinvented in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. While his real identity is unknown, it's thought he may have once been a farmer whose family was killed when their home was attacked.

In order to get his revenge, he made a deal with Mephisto, and it's this which led to him clashing with T'Challa. Achebe's home borders Wakanda, and he ultimately incites a war to punish those who he believes wronged him. Ultimately, the villain even manages to infiltrate the Wakandan government, and all of this could lend itself well to a movie that delves into the country's politics.

Just like Erik Killmonger made T'Challa look at his world in a different way, so too could Achebe, and there are countless ways the villain could be reinvented and reimagined for the MCU.

5. Spider-Man

When Marvel Studios and Sony Pictures agreed to a new deal which would keep Spider-Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (for now), it was for Spider-Man 3 and a future appearance in one of the Disney-owned movies. There are plenty of possibilities for that, but why not make it Black Panther 2?

While the wall-crawler may not initially seem like a natural fit for this sequel, fans have been desperate for a while now to see Peter Parker and Shuri match wits given their similarity in age and intelligence.

It doesn't seem overly likely that Peter will make his way to Wakanda, but if Shuri finds herself visiting the U.S. again, there are any number of ways the two heroes could cross paths. Of course, there is one good reason for why Spidey might head to the Black Panther's home, but we'll get to that...

4. Storm

If there's one thing most fans don't seem particularly keen on seeing explored in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it's the romance between T'Challa and Storm. It was never received really received that well in the comic books, and the end of their marriage actually came as a relief for the most part.

However, with mutants now set to join this shared world, there's absolutely no reason a young Storm couldn't show up in Wakanda. Tying her to that fictional nation actually makes a lot of sense, and Black Panther 2 could serve as an origin story of sorts for Ororo Munroe before she finds her way into a future X-Men movie (seeing her team-up with Shuri would be a blast too).

Storm is a character whose potential was never really explored by Fox, so Marvel Studios taking an in-depth approach to her story before that eventual team-up would be no a bad thing.

3. Erik Killmonger

Erik Killmonger's death in Black Panther appeared to be as definitive as they come, but there have been rumours for a while now that Michael B. Jordan is actually set to somehow reprise the role!

Resurrections in the world of comic books do happen, and Killmonger could obviously factor into flashbacks or something similar. Either way, it's hard to escape the feeling that the potential is there for more stories to be told with one of the Marvel Cinematic Universe's most complex villains.

Who knows, if he somehow survived those injuries at the end of the first movie, perhaps Killmonger will end up being recruited by Baron Zemo for his Thunderbolts? T'Challa was, after all, the one who took him into custody in Captain America: Civil War, so he may very well be out for vengeance here.

2. Kraven The Hunter

We mentioned Spider-Man a little earlier in this feature, and if Spider-Man 3 is indeed going to introduce or tease Kraven the Hunter, then there's no reason at all he couldn't appear in this Black Panther sequel. After a quick defeat at the hands of the web-slinger, perhaps the Black Panther will be his next target? Either way, we know Ryan Coogler is interested in the villain.

He actually wanted to include Kraven in the first movie, but was unable to do so due to rights issues. However, with Marvel Studios and Sony on good terms, the villain could easily show up in Spider-Man 3, serve as one of the lead big bads in Black Panther 2, and then appear in his own spinoff - which is being directed by J.C. Chandor - for a "Kraven's Last Hunt" adaptation.

Mixing the worlds of Kraven and Black Panther makes a lot of sense, so fingers crossed on this one.

1. Black Panther (Shuri)

Look, we know that Shuri is going to be in Black Panther 2 as it's already been reported that actress Letitia Wright is expected to play a larger role in proceedings in Ryan Coogler's upcoming sequel.

However, it would mean something completely different for Shuri to become the new Black Panther in the movie. The recently released book, The Wakanda Files, confirmed that the young genius has been hard at work attempting to recreate the affects of Wakanda's Heart-Shaped Herb, so perhaps it's that which grants T'Challa's younger sister superpowers in the Marvel Cinematic Universe?

Either way, if T'Challa's story is going to come to an end as a result of Chadwick Boseman's death, then it's a logical next step for Shuri to take over the mantle and become the new Black Panther.

BLACK PANTHER Director Ryan Coogler's Vampire Movie Begins Production - But The Title Is Kept Hidden

Recommended For You:

Marvel's EYES OF WAKANDA Animated Series From Ryan Coogler Will Be "Sacred Timeline" Canon To The MCU

DISCLAIMER: ComicBookMovie.com is protected under the DMCA (Digital Millenium Copyright Act) and... [MORE]

ComicBookMovie.com, and/or the user who contributed this post, may earn commissions or revenue through clicks or purchases made through any third-party links contained within the content above.

Do you have what it takes to write for us?

Want to contribute?

73 Comments

1 2

LittleSween - 3/12/2021, 1:11 AM

Feel like there really isn't a right way to go about this. Doomed if you do, doomed if you don't.
Personally wouldn't mind Shuri taking the mantle (that and Letitia Wright grew up in my hometown, so there's a element of personal pride there)

Origame - 3/12/2021, 2:17 AM

@LittleSween - I still say the approach should be a delay and recast. It's already like the hardest thing to rework a story where you suddenly can't use the main character, but it sounds like coogler (and everyone else) are still dealing with the mourning process.

LittleSween - 3/12/2021, 2:29 AM

@Origame - yeah I completely understand. Personally speaking, I'd probably prefer a recast. But any sort of recast, considering its still relatively recent, can't help but feel inappropriate irregardless. T'Challa is such an amazing character but it feels like Coogler and Joe Robert Cole have an increasingly impossible task.

Origame - 3/12/2021, 2:32 AM

@LittleSween - yeah. That's why I thought of a delay then recast. Like a few years of giving people time to grieve then announce the new tchalla.

bkmeijer2 - 3/12/2021, 1:15 AM

There isn't really a way to do it right and satisfy everybody, but I do think that if anybody can make it work, it's Coogler.

Kumkani - 3/12/2021, 1:16 AM

I don't envy him one bit.

L0RDbuckethead - 3/12/2021, 1:22 AM

This will be a tough one to crack, but they can do it.

bobevanz - 3/12/2021, 1:24 AM

The same problem happened when Heath Ledger passed away, he was supposed to be in the third. But once Heath passed, you couldn't go with Joker and since you killed off Two Face, there was no right way to do this. I still dream of the movie that would have been 😫

dracula - 3/12/2021, 1:32 AM

@bobevanz - Doubt they would have used Joker as the main threat again. Nolan specigically wanted someone who would be a physical threat to Batman. Assuming we would have still gotten the same movie, one obvious place to put him would be Bane's judge instead of Scarecrow.

LittleSween - 3/12/2021, 2:13 AM

@bobevanz - Think there's been all sorts of rumours as to the initial direction of DKR. I'm not 100% but I believe I heard the studio pushed for a Seymour Hoffman Penquin and a DiCaprio Riddler, but Nolan hadn't signed on, but by the time he did he had settled on Band.

Origame - 3/12/2021, 2:27 AM

@bobevanz - not quite the same thing. The way Nolan works is that he never plans on sequels and his stories are self contained (the joker card in batman begins was just a vague thing for whoever was coming next). There's nothing that was supposed to be in the next movie, just Nolan having the vague idea of using joker in a Hannibal lecter from silence of the lambs type role. The movie wasn't written and there was no expectation of using the previous villain. It would be more like if Christian bale had passed away instead.

LittleSween - 3/12/2021, 2:36 AM

@Origame - There was that great interview with Nolan when he was talking about his approach to the third movie. He used the metaphor "expanding the balloon" in terms of structuring his movies to have definitive arcs.

1 2

Related Headlines

Video Games

EA's Upcoming BLACK PANTHER Game Will Be Open World According To A New Job Listing

MarkJulian

Apr 15, 2024 01:04 PM

Black Panther

BLACK PANTHER Director Ryan Coogler's Vampire Movie Begins Production - But The Title Is Kept Hidden

MarkCassidy

Apr 14, 2024 09:04 PM

Black Panther

Marvel's EYES OF WAKANDA Animated Series From Ryan Coogler Will Be "Sacred Timeline" Canon To The MCU

MarkJulian

Mar 21, 2024 08:03 PM

Related Headlines

Video Games

EA's Upcoming BLACK PANTHER Game Will Be Open World According To A New Job Listing

MarkJulian

Apr 15, 2024 01:04 PM

Black Panther

BLACK PANTHER Director Ryan Coogler's Vampire Movie Begins Production - But The Title Is Kept Hidden

MarkCassidy

Apr 14, 2024 09:04 PM

Black Panther

Marvel's EYES OF WAKANDA Animated Series From Ryan Coogler Will Be "Sacred Timeline" Canon To The MCU

MarkJulian

Mar 21, 2024 08:03 PM

Video Games

MARVEL'S BLACK PANTHER Game Dev Faces Backlash After Admitting To Not Hiring White Developers

MattIsForReal

Mar 15, 2024 12:03 PM

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER Star Angela Bassett Was "Gobsmacked" By Oscar Loss

MarkCassidy

Mar 08, 2024 03:03 PM

Black Panther

Deadpool & Wolverine

LOKI's [SPOILER] Rumored To Appear In DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE; New Cassandra Nova Details Revealed

JoshWilding

37 mins ago

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania

ANT-MAN AND THE WASP: QUANTUMANIA Was One Of Marvel's Most Expensive Movies Ever Reveals New Report

JoshWilding

1 hour ago

Latest Headlines

Sonic the Hedgehog

KNUCKLES: Paramount+ SONIC Spin-Off Hits Rotten Tomatoes; New Clips Released

MarkCassidy

26 mins ago

Deadpool & Wolverine

LOKI's [SPOILER] Rumored To Appear In DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE; New Cassandra Nova Details Revealed

JoshWilding

37 mins ago

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania

ANT-MAN AND THE WASP: QUANTUMANIA Was One Of Marvel's Most Expensive Movies Ever Reveals New Report

JoshWilding

1 hour ago

Deadpool & Wolverine

DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE: Rob Liefeld Responds To Trailer's Shot At His Apparent Inability To Draw Feet

JoshWilding

1 hour ago

Sci-Fi

REBEL MOON: Zack Snyder Hits Back At Claims He's "Delusional" After Saying It Would've Made $1.6 Billion

JoshWilding

2 hours ago

Mad Max

FURIOSA: A MAD MAX SAGA TV Spots Reveal More Of The Title Character's Post-Apocalyptic Origin Story

JoshWilding

2 hours ago

Hot Headlines

245 comments

DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE Official Trailer Features Ultimate Team-Up & Promises The Wildest MCU Movie Of All-Time!

RohanPatel

21 hours ago EST

156 comments

DEADPOOL AND WOLVERINE Trailer Arrives Tomorrow! Check Out A New Teaser And Poster

MarkCassidy

1 day ago EST

118 comments

SUPERMAN Director James Gunn Shares New "S" Logo - But What Could It Mean?

MarkCassidy

1 day ago EST

90 comments

MADAME WEB Star Sydney Sweeney Seemingly Takes Shot At Hollywood Producer: "Sorry For Having Great T**s"

JoshWilding

22 hours ago EST

81 comments

More Sci-Fi & Fantasy ►

KNUCKLES Rotten Tomatoes Score Revealed Along With New Clip Featuring Sonic And Tails

More Cartoons & Animated ►

LaKeith Stanfield To Star In Film Based On EL PASO, ELSEWHERE Vampire Video Game

More Anime & Manga ►

THE WATCHERS New Trailer Sees Dakota Fanning Terrorised In Ishana Night Shyamalan's Directorial Debut

More Horror ►

Tom Cruise's MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE 8 Adds SEVERANCE Actor Tramell Tillman

More Action Movies & TV ►

Cody Rhodes On Being Gifted His Father's Lost Rolex And Why He Gifted Seth Rollins A Watch At WRESTLEMANIA

More Pro Wrestling ►

Daisy Ridley Teases The Different STAR WARS Film That Will Hopefully Be A New Adventure

More Sci-Fi & Fantasy ►

More Cartoons & Animated ►

More Anime & Manga ►

More Horror ►

More Action Movies & TV ►

More Pro Wrestling ►

BLACK PANTHER II Director Ryan Coogler Describes Challenges Of Making The Sequel Without Chadwick Boseman

Black Panther II director Ryan Coogler has opened up on the challenges of making the sequel without its star, describing that process as "the hardest thing I've ever had to do in my professional life."

10. Monica Lynne

9. S'Yan

8. Namor The Sub-Mariner

7. Malice

6. Achebe

5. Spider-Man

4. Storm

3. Erik Killmonger

2. Kraven The Hunter

1. Black Panther (Shuri)

BLACK PANTHER Director Ryan Coogler's Vampire Movie Begins Production - But The Title Is Kept Hidden

Marvel's EYES OF WAKANDA Animated Series From Ryan Coogler Will Be "Sacred Timeline" Canon To The MCU

EA's Upcoming BLACK PANTHER Game Will Be Open World According To A New Job Listing

BLACK PANTHER Director Ryan Coogler's Vampire Movie Begins Production - But The Title Is Kept Hidden

Marvel's EYES OF WAKANDA Animated Series From Ryan Coogler Will Be "Sacred Timeline" Canon To The MCU

EA's Upcoming BLACK PANTHER Game Will Be Open World According To A New Job Listing

BLACK PANTHER Director Ryan Coogler's Vampire Movie Begins Production - But The Title Is Kept Hidden

Marvel's EYES OF WAKANDA Animated Series From Ryan Coogler Will Be "Sacred Timeline" Canon To The MCU

MARVEL'S BLACK PANTHER Game Dev Faces Backlash After Admitting To Not Hiring White Developers

BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER Star Angela Bassett Was "Gobsmacked" By Oscar Loss

BLACK PANTHER Star Angela Bassett Recalls Final Day On Set With Chadwick Boseman In Emotional New Tribute

Popular Headlines

DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE: Every Major Marvel Cameo In The New Trailer - Possible SPOILERS

DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE: 7 Biggest Easter Eggs, Reveals, And Spoilers In The New Trailer

DC Studios Co-CEO James Gunn Responds To Zack Snyder's Recent Comments About The DCU

DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE Official Trailer Features Ultimate Team-Up & Promises The Wildest MCU Movie Of All-Time!

DEADPOOL AND WOLVERINE Rumor Points To Larger Roles For Two Particular Characters - SPOILERS

KNUCKLES: Paramount+ SONIC Spin-Off Hits Rotten Tomatoes; New Clips Released

LOKI's [SPOILER] Rumored To Appear In DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE; New Cassandra Nova Details Revealed

ANT-MAN AND THE WASP: QUANTUMANIA Was One Of Marvel's Most Expensive Movies Ever Reveals New Report

KNUCKLES: Paramount+ SONIC Spin-Off Hits Rotten Tomatoes; New Clips Released

LOKI's [SPOILER] Rumored To Appear In DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE; New Cassandra Nova Details Revealed

ANT-MAN AND THE WASP: QUANTUMANIA Was One Of Marvel's Most Expensive Movies Ever Reveals New Report

DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE: Rob Liefeld Responds To Trailer's Shot At His Apparent Inability To Draw Feet

REBEL MOON: Zack Snyder Hits Back At Claims He's "Delusional" After Saying It Would've Made $1.6 Billion

FURIOSA: A MAD MAX SAGA TV Spots Reveal More Of The Title Character's Post-Apocalyptic Origin Story

Hot Headlines

DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE Official Trailer Features Ultimate Team-Up & Promises The Wildest MCU Movie Of All-Time!

DEADPOOL AND WOLVERINE Trailer Arrives Tomorrow! Check Out A New Teaser And Poster

SUPERMAN Director James Gunn Shares New "S" Logo - But What Could It Mean?

MADAME WEB Star Sydney Sweeney Seemingly Takes Shot At Hollywood Producer: "Sorry For Having Great T**s"

DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE: Every Major Marvel Cameo In The New Trailer - Possible SPOILERS

Sci-Fi & Fantasy

Daisy Ridley Teases The Different STAR WARS Film That Will Hopefully Be A "New Adventure"

Zack Snyder's Animated Norse Mythology Series TWILIGHT OF THE GODS Will Be Released This Fall

DUNE: PART TWO Star Rebecca Ferguson On DUNE: MESSIAH - "I'd Love To See Timothée Turn Into A Worm"

As GODZILLA X KONG Closes In On $500M Worldwide, How Does It Compare To Previous MonsterVerse Films?

FURIOSA: A MAD MAX SAGA TV Spot Teases Furiosa's Origin Story; One Action Scene "Took 78 Days To Shoot"

DUNE: PART TWO Will Need Another Week To Eclipse The $700M Global Box Office Mark

Cartoons & Animated Features

KNUCKLES Rotten Tomatoes Score Revealed Along With New Clip Featuring Sonic And Tails

Ella Purnell Says ARCANE Season 2 Will Be Incredibly Tragic As Netflix Preps The Series For Annecy Reveal

Netflix Reveals Premiere Window For Zack Snyder's TWILIGHT OF THE GODS

X-MEN '97: Marvel Studios' Kevin Feige Reportedly Considered Making Animated Series "Canon" To The MCU

TRANSFORMERS ONE Character Posters Highlight The Movie's Divisive Animation Style

SNOW WHITE Rumored Plot Details May Clear Up Seven Dwarfs/Seven Bandits Confusion

Gaming

LaKeith Stanfield To Star In Film Based On EL PASO, ELSEWHERE Vampire Video Game

Comedy Central Orders 10-Episode GOLDEN AXE Animated Series From Mike McMahan And Joe Chandler

FALLOUT Season 2 Will Feature One Of The Game's Most Iconic Monsters

FORTNITE Will Now Let You Block "Confrontational Emotes"

KNUCKLES: Paramount+ SONIC Spin-Off Hits Rotten Tomatoes With An Impressive 88%

Fan Project Estimates GTA 6 Map Size Could Be 2.5 Times Larger Than GTA 5

Anime & Manga

DRAGON BALL SUPER Interval Special Announced By Jump While Manga Remains On Indefinite Hiatus

New Teaser And Key Art For Live-Action TRILLION GAME Movie

Netflix's PARASYTE: THE GREY Is Now Streaming; Here's What The Critics Are Saying

MY HERO ACADEMIA Tops X-MEN '97, INVINCIBLE And More In Social Media Engagement

Netmarble Announces Release Date For New Game SOLO LEVELING: ARISE

KAIJU NO. 8 Reveals Opening And Ending Theme Animations

Horror

THE WATCHERS New Trailer Sees Dakota Fanning Terrorised In Ishana Night Shyamalan's Directorial Debut

EVIL DEAD RISE Director Lee Cronin Shares Gruesome New BTS Photos To Mark Movie's One-Year Anniversary

Happy 4/20! Check Out The Red Band Trailer For New Stoner Horror Movie TRIM SEASON

ABIGAIL Spoilers: Find Out What Happens - And Who Shows Up - In New Horror Comedy

TRAP: First Trailer For M. Night Shyamalan's Latest Spoils The Big Twist

IMMACULATE Star Sydney Sweeney Has Been Slammed By A Hollywood Producer: "She's Not Pretty, She Can't Act"

Action Movies & TV