Black Panther 2 Producer Breaks His Silence On Possible Chadwick Boseman Appearance
Whether they are teaming up against a common enemy or butting heads in an epic showdown, the characters of the MCU like to assemble in various unlikely combinations, and they have continued to do so on Disney+. WandaVision brought in characters from Thor, Captain Marvel, and Ant-Man, and now The Falcon and the Winter Soldier has followed suit, drawing its cast from all corners of the MCU.
The latest episode of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier brought in the Dora Milaje, the powerful Wakandan warriors of the Black Panther universe. When Bucky has an unexpected reunion with Ayo (Florence Kasumba), the Dora Milaje's second-in-command, he knows they mean serious business. Ayo and her warriors have come to take Zemo (Daniel Bruhl), the man who murdered their king, and they are not taking no for an answer. As the new Captain America, John Walker (Wyatt Russell), quickly discovers, these warriors are not to be trifled with.
The appearance of Ayo and the Dora Milaje has fans speculating — now that Wakanda has come to Madripoor, will the Black Panther return as well? And if so, will fans see the late Chadwick Boseman in an upcoming episode? A producer on The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and the upcoming Black Panther 2, recently spoke out about this possibility, and put the rumors to rest once and for all.
MCU producer puts an end to the rumors
In a podcast interview with Vanity Fair, producer Nate Moore addressed the fan speculation that Boseman may make an appearance in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, either in footage filmed before his death, or through digital rendering. Moore's response was a hard "No."
"That is not going to happen," Moore insisted. "Chad's passing is a whole life thing, and I loved the guy as much as the character. I think we have to be very careful and thoughtful about when he appears, because he meant so much to a lot of people as much as he meant to us. But yeah, we wouldn't use that as a 'Come next week; maybe you'll see Panther!' We wouldn't, and he's not."
While it may be disappointing for fans that Boseman will not be making a posthumous appearance on The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, perhaps it's for the best. While some films and TV series have turned to CGI rendering for character roles, MCU producer Kevin Feige also made it clear back in January 2021 (via Deadline) that fans will not see this for T'Challa in the Black Panther 2 sequel.
"We're not going to have a CG Chadwick, and we're not recasting T'Challa," Feige said. "Ryan Coogler is working very hard right now on the script with all the respect and love and genius that he has, which gives us great solace, so it was always about furthering the mythology and the inspiration of Wakanda. There's also the task of honoring and respecting the ongoing learnings and teachings from Chad, as well."
The question of who the next Black Panther will be remains unanswered since Boseman's death in 2020.