As the release of Marvel’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever gets closer, supporters of the #RecastTChalla movement continue to stand their ground. With over 60,000 signatures on the Change.org petition, many fans are urging Marvel Studios to recast the late Chadwick Boseman’s character, T’Challa, also known as Black Panther.
On August 28, 2020, Chadwick Boseman unexpectedly passed away from colon cancer, leaving the world shaken and saddened. Superhero fans were quick to question the future of his beloved Marvel character, where he made his first appearance in the 2016 film, Captain America: Civil War. In 2018, he reprised his role as the title character in Black Panther, the first comic book and superhero film to be nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards. He also starred in Avengers: Infinity War (2018) and Avengers: Endgame (2019), and was expected to return in the Black Panther sequel, which was greenlit just a month after the release of the first due to its global success.
The Change.org petition calling for the recast of T’Challa was started by film critic, Emmanuel “E-Man” Noisette. He believed that removing T’Challa from the franchise would be at the expense of Black boys and men who saw themselves in the character, taking away an important role model and inspiration. He also felt that using Boseman’s death as a plot device in upcoming Marvel films would end Black Panther’s story, which was only just beginning. Noisette acknowledged that Boseman is irreplaceable, but insisted that “someone can step into the role and continue what Chadwick worked so hard to bring to life…”. The hashtag and the petition garnered traction across various social media platforms, further establishing the movement, with many threatening to boycott the upcoming film entirely if T’Challa is not recast.
The #1 way to kill a legend, is to stop telling their story.
Emmanuel “E-Man” Noisette on the #RecastTChalla movement
In October 2022, Kevin Feige, the President of Marvel Studios, spoke with Empire regarding the studio’s decision to not recast T’Challa, saying “It just felt like it was much too soon to recast”. He said the studio’s main focus was figuring out how to properly honor Chadwick’s legacy in the sequel. Actress Lupita Nyong’o, who played Nakia in Black Panther and will reprise her role in the sequel, defended the studio’s decision. She told The Hollywood Reporter, “I know that there are all sorts of reasons why people want him to be recast, but I don’t have the patience. I don’t have the presence of mind, or I don’t have the objectivity to argue with that. I don’t. I’m very biased.” Other cast members have also weighed in on the decision, including Angela Bassett, who plays Ramonda, T’Challa’s mother and Queen of Wakanda. She explained that the film allowed the cast and crew to express their grief while also honoring both T’Challa’s and Boseman’s legacies.
That is not the death of the Black Panther, that’s the whole point.
Lupita Nyong’o in defense of Marvel’s decision to not recast T’Challa.
Supporters of the movement believe that not recasting T’Challa would end his story. However, the recent trailer hints at a passing of the torch to another character, so despite T’Challa not being in the film, Black Panther’s story is far from over.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever releases in theaters on November 11, 2022.
References
BBC Contributors. (2020, August 29). Chadwick Boseman: Black Panther star dies of cancer aged 43. BBC. Retrieved November 3, 2022, from https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-53955912
Johnson, J. (2022, July 28). Fans Threaten to Boycott ‘Black Panther 2’ Over Demands to #RecastTChalla. Black Enterprise. Retrieved November 3, 2022, from https://www.blackenterprise.com/fans-threaten-to-boycott-black-panther-2-over-demands-to-recasttchalla/
Keegan, R., Cody, C., & Yun, Y. (2022, October 19). Lupita Nyong’o on the Intense Shoot for ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and the Weight of Global Stardom. The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved November 3, 2022, from https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-features/lupita-nyongo-black-panther-wakanda-forever-chadwick-boseman-2-1235243812/
Liederman, M. (2022, January 11). With ‘Recast T’Challa’ Petition, A Chicago Film Critic Hopes To Keep ‘Black Panther’ Hero Alive After Chadwick Boseman’s Death. Block Club Chicago. Retrieved November 3, 2022, from https://blockclubchicago.org/2022/01/11/with-recast-tchalla-petition-a-chicago-film-critic-hopes-to-keep-black-panther-hero-alive-after-chadwick-bosemans-death/
Petition · Recast T’Challa To Honor Chadwick Boseman In the Black Panther Franchise · Change.org. (n.d.). Change.org. Retrieved November 3, 2022, from https://www.change.org/p/marvel-recast-t-challa-to-honor-chadwick-boseman-in-the-black-panther-franchise-2
Richardson, R. (2022, November 2). Angela Bassett Says Black Panther Sequel Will Make Chadwick Boseman ‘Proud’. Yahoo News. Retrieved November 3, 2022, from https://news.yahoo.com/angela-bassett-says-black-panther-194536559.html Travis, B. (2022, September 26). Kevin Feige On Not Recasting T’Challa In The MCU: ‘It Was Much Too Soon’ – Exclusive. Empire Online. Retrieved November 3, 2022, from https://www.empireonline.com/movies/news/kevin-feige-not-recasting-tchalla-mcu-exclusive