The fate of the “Black Panther” sequel had been in question since the untimely passing of its lead star Chadwick Boseman last August. While there’s no word on what the storyline will be in the film, actor Michael B. Jordan, who starred as Erik “Killmonger” Stevens in the original, revealed that he would happily reprise his role if given the opportunity.
While talking to People, Jordan expressed that he’d return to the franchise without hesitation. “That’s something that is very, very near and dear to my heart for a lot of obvious reasons,” the 33-year-old said while noting the death of Boseman. “[I] had a really tough year losing somebody close to me. And what that means for that franchise is it was devastating.”
He continued, “But being in that world in a character that I loved playing, and working with [writer/director Ryan Coogler] and all that good stuff, it’s family. We created a family over there. So to be able to be in that world again is something that, I think, will always be on the table in some capacity.”
Around the time of Boseman’s passing, the discussion on whether his role would be recast also began to circle the internet. However, in December 2020, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige confirmed that King T’Challa would not be replaced.
Angela Bassett, who played T’Challa’s mother, Wakandan Queen Ramonda, spoke about the decision with “Entertainment Tonight” during a recent interview, calling the decision “interesting.”
“Well, I had not thought about that idea,” the actress expressed when asked about her thoughts on bringing back the actor through the use of CGI. “But of course it is Wakanda, and they are, in terms of technology, they are so far ahead of the rest of the world that they would be able to bring some of that.”
She continued, “It’s a tremendous loss but [President of Marvel Studios] Kevin [Feige] and the Marvel universe and Ryan [Coogler], the director, the writer from before, they are committed to telling [a story] and equally as much as we can, equally planned.” She added, “So we are looking forward to that. Looking forward to what they come up with.”
The “Waiting to Exhale” star also said that the crew has to “do a major pivot, and they are still working on that now because none of us knew anything.” Speaking highly of the legacy of her late co-star, Bassett said, “The love and appreciation that we have for who he was and what he shared with us cannot be [replaced].” She added, “It is missed and appreciated and cannot be duplicated. It’s a tremendous honor, and, yes, he is completely irreplaceable.”
“Black Panther II,” still in pre-production, is projected to hit theaters on July 8, 2022, with production looking to start this summer with Coogler back as its writer and director.
