The Original Black Panther 2 Screenplay Was Heavily Focused On T'Challa
Excitement for "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" is in the air as the long-awaited sequel to "Black Panther" is set to arrive in November. Unfortunately, the movie will be a bittersweet affair for MCU fans as Chadwick Boseman won't be part of the proceedings. The star, who played T'Challa in "Black Panther" and other MCU releases, passed away in 2020 aged 43 (per The New York Times). "Black Panther 2" will honor his legacy, but his absence will certainly be felt.
The actor's unfortunate passing also meant that the sequel had to be rewritten, which led to some interesting developments. For example, "Black Panther 2" has been compared to "The Godfather" in recent times. Nate Moore, Marvel's VP of Production and Development, described the story as "that feeling of families at war" while explaining its similarities to Francis Ford Coppola's mob classic. Elsewhere, the film will feature Namor the Sub-Mariner (Tenoch Huerta) as the antagonist who wages war on Wakanda.
Prior to these developments, however, "Black Panther 2" was supposed to revolve around T'Challa and his ongoing journey. That movie can no longer happen for obvious reasons, but the film's creators did open up about their original plans for the sequel during a recent interview.
Black Panther 2 was originally envisioned as a T'Challa character study
"Black Panther 2" will see Shuri (Letitia Wright), T'Challa's sister, serve as Wakanda's main ruler. However, writer-director Ryan Coogler and co-scribe Joe Robert Cole originally intended for the sequel to chronicle T'Challa and his progress as Wakanda's leader.
During a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Coogler explained how "Black Panther 2" would have played out if Chadwick Boseman reprised the role of T'Challa. "The script we wrote before Chadwick passed was very much rooted in T'Challa's perspective," he said. "It was a massive movie but also simultaneously a character study that delved deeply into his psyche and situation."
The script was subsequently rewritten to feature the death of T'Challa and Wakanda's mourning as a central storyline, allowing real life to inform the film's story. As such, the memory of T'Challa — and Boseman — will be honored in "Black Panther 2," even though the original plan was to continue his quest.