Marvel Studios has officially opened the door to Phase 4 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe — a door that won't shut anytime soon. More than a handful of production teams currently have cameras rolling for future Phase 4 movies and Disney+ shows, and even more are set to start in the next year or so.
2022 will bring a record setting number of MCU entries featuring new and old characters alike. This includes a sequel to the wildly successful Black Panther from 2018, which will likely be Marvel Studios' toughest endeavor after the tragic loss of T'Challa actor Chadwick Boseman in August 2020.
This not only makes shooting for Black Panther II an emotional struggle, it also forces the team making this movie to take a new path for its story.
After Boseman's passing, the decision was made to not recast the role of T'Challa and have the sequel focus expanding the world of Wakanda instead, and recent news reveals exactly how Marvel Studios will tackle this unforseen challenge.
BEACHLER'S BLACK PANTHER BIBLE RETURNS
According to a release from IndieWire , Hannah Beachler is confirmed to return as the production designer for Marvel Studios's Black Panther II after serving in the same role for 2018's Black Panther.
Director Ryan Coogler also confirmed that he will be using her "Black Panther Bible" from the first movie on the sequel, which is an approximately 500-page book Beachler wrote on Wakanda that was "a big reference point for (them) to come back to for when (they) had questions."
Coogler mentioned that he has been utilizing the bible for Black Panther II's pre-production since Fall 2020.
THE BLACK PANTHER BIBLE BUILDS WAKANDA
Hannah Beachler solidified her place as the Black Panther production designer after extensive work over ten months formulating the Black Panther Bible . This book details the intricate inner workings of Marvel's fictional country of Wakanda, including its technology, culture, society, infrastructure and more.
Every cast and crew member on the original movie got a copy of Beachler's intense work, and it will seem to be even more useful going forward in the MCU's Black Panther saga.
Marvel CCO Kevin Feige confirmed that Black Panther II will look to expand on Wakanda and its place in the world after Chadwick Boseman's death, which means more details from Beachler's book will almost certainly make their way onto the big screen.
No specific plot details are known quite yet for Ryan Coogler's sequel, but it's clear that he will rely on Beachler's passion project more heavily in his second directorial effort with Marvel Studios.
Going forward in the series without the man behind King T'Challa will not be an easy task by any means, but Coogler and Beachler seem as ready as possible to add depth and complexity to one of Marvel Studios' most incredible worlds.
Black Panther II will begin filming in July 2021 , and it is set to release in theaters on July 8, 2022.
