Marvel Studios revealed that Chadwick Boseman’s iconic role as the Black Panther will not be given to another actor.

On Thursday (Dec. 10), Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige shared the news during his presentation at Disney Investor Day. “[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,” he said.

“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 continued.

Back in August, Boseman’s family announced that he had died after silently fighting a four-year battle with colon cancer. The 42 actor passed away at his Los Angeles home with his wife and other family members by his side. “From Marshall to Da 5 Bloods, August Wilson’s Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom and several more — all were filmed during and between countless surgeries and chemotherapy. It was the honor of his career to bring King T’Challa to life in Black Panther,” his family said in a statement.

Black Panther 2 is set to begin filming in Atlanta, Georgia next July. The sequel was initially set to resume filming in March 2021, but director Ryan Coogler decided to delay the project to grieve the untimely passing of Boseman.

REVOLT previously reported that the film and television studio will not replace the late actor with a digital double in the Black Panther sequel.

“There’s only one Chadwick, and he’s not with us. Our king, unfortunately, has died in real life, not just in fiction, and we are taking a little time to see how we return to the story and what we do to honor this chapter of what has happened to us that was so unexpected, so painful, so terrible, really,” Marvel Studios Executive Vice President of Production Victoria Alonso said. “Because Chadwick was not only a marvelous human being every day that we spent together the five years we spent together, but it also seems to me that as a character what he did elevated us as a company, and has left his moment in history.”

The sequel is scheduled to be released on July 8, 2022.