Marvel Studios has an absolutely jam-packed year planned for the rest of 2021 with nine more releases in total after WandaVision and production rolling on more than half a dozen other projects. Many of these will be sequels following up on stories initially set up in the Infinity Saga , which is already coming to fruition as WandaVision comes to a close and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier set to begin on March 19 .
On the big screen, one of 2022’s summer blockbusters will be Black Panther II , which will be one of Marvel Studios’ toughest endeavors to date. This is largely due to the tragic loss of leading-man Chadwick Boseman, who passed away after a private battle with cancer in summer of 2020.
The cast and crew are carrying on the best they can for the sequel, but it will undoubtedly come with a heavy heart for everybody involved…
LUPITA NYONG’O LOOKS AHEAD TO BLACK PANTHER II
In a recent interview on Good Morning America , Black Panther II star Lupita Nyong’o was asked if she had anything she could say about her next MCU project.
While jokingly confirming that “in true Marvel form" she couldn’t reveal anything, she did touch on the fact that Black Panther 2 will be “different, of course, without our king” after the loss of Chadwick Boseman. Nyong’o simply stated that she and the crew “are dedicated to reimagining or carrying on (Boseman’s) legacy in this new Black Panther.”
“You know, in true Marvel form, I have nothing to tell you. It’s gonna be a hard one. It’s gonna be different, of course, without our king, to go back into that world. But I know that all of us are dedicated to reimagining or carrying on his legacy in this new Black Panther, and Ryan Coogler has some really, really exciting ideas that I look forward to bringing to life with the rest of the family.”
The full video can be seen in the tweet below:
“It’s going to be different, of course, without our king [Chadwick Boseman] … but I know that all of us are dedicated to reimagining or carrying on his legacy in this new #BlackPanther.” — @Lupita_Nyongo https://t.co/i9rZzYvW4s pic.twitter.com/NcxvWy8rmd
WAKANDA FOREVER IN PHASE 4
The original Black Panther quickly became one of the MCU’s biggest success stories in 2018 , still holding a place today as the highest grossing non- Avengers movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. This was largely due to Boseman’s portrayal of the Wakandan king, which made a profound impact on the world even outside the MCU fandom.
Boseman’s passing was a truly sad moment through a rough year overall in 2020, but Marvel Studios seems to be doing everything they can to continue his legacy. Nyong’o’s quote confirms these intentions, and it appears that she’s fully dedicated to continuing her role as Nakia while the MCU expands on T’Challa’s legacy.
Black Panther II will largely focus on expanding the world and legend of Wakanda and its people , although plot details are being largely kept under wraps for now. No matter how this plays out, there is no denying how heavily this loss is weighing on the team behind this movie, and everyone is on board with making the next Wakandan adventure the right way.
Black Panther II will begin filming in summer 2021 before a theatrical release on July 8, 2022.
