Chadwick Boseman’s brother wants his late sibling’s role as T’Challa to be recast in the Black Panther sequel.
On Tuesday (Dec. 13), Derrick told TMZ that he wants Marvel to find someone to play the Black Panther so the movie can continue to inspire its Black fans. Although Boseman did not say specifically that he wanted another actor to carry on the role before he died, his brother believes that he knew his character was bigger than himself.
Boseman passed away in August 2020 after silently fighting a four-year battle with colon cancer. Previously, Marvel execs said that they would not recast T’Challa, leaving many fans to question how the direction of the sequel would go. “[Boseman’s] portrayal of T’Challa the Black Panther is iconic and transcends any iteration of the character in any other medium from Marvel’s past, and it’s for that reason, that we will not recast the character,” said Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige last year.
“However, to honor the legacy that Chad helped us build, we want to continue to explore the world of Wakanda and all the rich and varied characters introduced in the first film,” he added.
An online petition, which was started by film critic Emmanuel Noisette, has garnered the signatures of more than 40,000 people who want someone else to take on the role.
“#RecastTChalla is not a call to replace Chadwick Boseman. (No one could ever do that.) It is not asking for an immediate replacement either. Nor is this calling for the prevention of other characters to take up the mantle of Black Panther like Shuri or anyone else,” Noisette wrote. “This petition is merely asking to continue the portrayal of T’Challa in the MCU. #RecastTChalla is a call to fulfill the role that Chadwick Boseman worked so hard for the world to see.”