Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022) (1 Viewer)

[dpippel]

Since both Shuri and T'Challa died at the end of Infinity War, and both were alive at the end of Endgame, how are they going to make a film about her dealing with his loss without addressing how he died in the first place? Obviously, he was still with us when Marvel wrapped up Phase 3, and both were gone for the 5 years between snaps.

 

[Jake Lipson]

how are they going to make a film about her dealing with his loss without addressing how he died in the first place?

If they go with that option, T'Challa would have to die off screen after the end of Endgame but prior to the beginning of Black Panther II. They could still address how he died; they just wouldn't be able to show his death scene. The characters would just have to mention it. It's not ideal, but it could be done.

 

[jayembee]

There have been all sorts of rumors of late (a) that T'Challa/Boseman was going to be out as BP and replaced by Shuri/Wright (which lock-steps with what the comics had done some years back) either during the sequel or ahead of it, because Disney wanted to up the female hero count, or (c) that Disney was scrapping BP2 altogether. Of course, there have been all sorts of bizarre rumors about what Disney was going to do with Marvel (and Star Wars) that are obviously not true.

Regardless, my wife brought up a point when we were talking this morning about Boseman's passing, and how it would effect the MCU going forward. She pointed out that while Boseman kept his diagnosis a secret to the public at large, it was likely that Kevin Feige and Bob Iger were made aware of it precisely because what might happen to him (or any of their big stars) would have a major impact on their business. From everything I've seen so far of the timing, he was diagnosed with Stage 3 cancer in 2016, which would've been after he'd already filmed Civil War.

If Feige and Iger were aware of his condition, it wouldn't be surprising if they outlined a few different options for the character, depending on how things progressed. For all we know, everything (which isn't really much) that's been said about the sequel might've been a disinformation campaign so that the public would think everything is proceeding as planned.

 

[Jake Lipson]

There have been all sorts of rumors of late (a) that T'Challa/Boseman was going to be out as BP and replaced by Shuri/Wright (which lock-steps with what the comics had done some years back) either during the sequel or ahead of it, because Disney wanted to up the female hero count, or (c) that Disney was scrapping BP2 altogether.

Huh? This is the first I've heard of that.

 

[jayembee]

One other thing. I have no idea how far along the production stream the Disney+ series What If? has gone, i.e. if they'd filmed any episodes, or recorded voices. According to IMDb, Boseman was voicing T'Challa for the first episode. If that recording has happened, we'll get one more performance as T'Challa from him.

 

[jayembee]

Huh? This is the first I've heard of that.

Like I said. Rumors. Not very credible, but there nonetheless. From my viewpoint, they were as credible as the ones claiming that Disney had fired Brie Larson as Captain Marvel, or that Disney were going to declare that Star Wars Episodes 7-9 would be rendered non-canonical and that they would make new films to replace them. More like wishful thinking by grumbly fans than anything worth paying attention to.

 

[Jake Lipson]

More like wishful thinking by grumbly fans than anything worth paying attention to.

I don't see why any fans would wish for Boseman to be out. I don't know anyone who disliked him either personally or in the role. I would have been delighted to see him continue to play T'Challa for as long as he wished to do so.

 

[jayembee]

I don't see why any fans would wish for Boseman to be out. I don't know anyone who disliked him either personally or in the role. I would have been delighted to see him continue to play T'Challa for as long as he wished to do so.

I don't think it was that they wanted him out, but that they believed Disney/Marvel wanted to replace him as BP with Letitia Wright to advance their alleged plan to replace all of the male heroes with female versions.

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

If they go with that option, T'Challa would have to die off screen after the end of Endgame but prior to the beginning of Black Panther II. They could still address how he died; they just wouldn't be able to show his death scene. The characters would just have to mention it. It's not ideal, but it could be done.

My guess is that the film would open with T'Challa's death, but he'll be wearing the Black Panther suit so they can use a stunt double with roughly the same height and build as Chadwick Boseman.

 

[Jake Lipson]

I guess they could do that. Unless they just want to give T'Challa the same cause of death as Boseman. There would be something tragic about him being a superhero who is able to assist in defeating villains like Thanos but not being able to defeat cancer. The MCU is now in the year 2024, following Far From Home. While the character clearly was not written to have cancer while Boseman was playing him, they could just say he got it at some point after Endgame and then died.

 

[The Obsolete Man]

There would be something tragic about him being a superhero who is able to assist in defeating villains like Thanos but not being able to defeat cancer.

So,

They can't do it with Captain Marvel, since I'm not even sure Marv exists in the movies, and they surely won't kill their lead female character, so adapt it to Panther?

 

[dpippel]

If they go with that option, T'Challa would have to die off screen after the end of Endgame but prior to the beginning of Black Panther II. They could still address how he died; they just wouldn't be able to show his death scene. The characters would just have to mention it. It's not ideal, but it could be done.

Not ideal at all. I think that would be a disservice to both the character, who became a cultural touchstone, and to Boseman. Whether or not they decide to go forward with the sequel, they'll still need to address the disappearance of such an important character in some way, shape, or form, and their options are limited.

 

[Jake Lipson]

I think that would be a disservice to both the character, who became a cultural touchstone, and to Boseman.

I disagree. I think giving the character the same exit as the actor and making that part of the storyline would be absolutely appropriate. But then I would also have preferred Leia to die in the opening crawl text for Episode IX and have her death kickstart the story rather than what they did. So I'm in the minority.

 

[dpippel]

I disagree. I think giving the character the same exit as the actor and making that part of the storyline would be absolutely appropriate. But then I would also have preferred Leia to die in the opening crawl text for Episode IX and have her death kickstart the story rather than what they did. So I'm in the minority.

I don't think they CAN give him cancer. Wouldn't the power of the heart-shaped herb protect him from disease? I'm not up on everything Black Panther, so I don't know for sure, but it seems that accelerated healing would be one of the character's powers. After all, he recovers very quickly from both a spear to the chest, and then being beaten nearly to death and thrown from the top of a waterfall in his stand-alone film, after being rejuvenated and healed by the heart-shaped herb infusion.

 

[Jake Lipson]

I don't think they CAN give him cancer.

I have no idea. I'm glad I'm not the one who has to write this, and I certainly don't envy Ryan Coogler that position.

 

[Chip_HT]

Regardless, my wife brought up a point when we were talking this morning about Boseman's passing, and how it would effect the MCU going forward. She pointed out that while Boseman kept his diagnosis a secret to the public at large, it was likely that Kevin Feige and Bob Iger were made aware of it precisely because what might happen to him (or any of their big stars) would have a major impact on their business. From everything I've seen so far of the timing, he was diagnosed with Stage 3 cancer in 2016, which would've been after he'd already filmed Civil War.

If Feige and Iger were aware of his condition, it wouldn't be surprising if they outlined a few different options for the character, depending on how things progressed. For all we know, everything (which isn't really much) that's been said about the sequel might've been a disinformation campaign so that the public would think everything is proceeding as planned.

It could explain why there was such a delay in adding Black Panther II to the schedule, and putting it so far in the future.

 

[Jake Lipson]

It could explain why there was such a delay in adding Black Panther II to the schedule, and putting it so far in the future.

I didn't really think that was weird. Its current 2022 date would be only four years after 2018, and in the time the character also appeared in Infinity War and Endgame besides his own film. Plus, Marvel had a gap in production after Endgame because they didn't want anything to leak about how that film was going to resolve itself. And, of course, they haves many balls in the air with the various different sub-franchises that they can't all come out at once and have to go in some kind of order. When the sequel was announced for 2022, I just thought they were going to take their time to get it right, which is fine with me.

Now, of course, the tragic loss of Boseman is an unprecedented challenge, so they're likely going to have to take more time. But I don't think it being dated for 2022 in the first place was indicative of problems.

 

[Chip_HT]

I thought it was odd that it wasn't one of the first ones announced as part of Phase 4. Coming out of Endgame, Black Panther was probably the most lucrative MCU franchise, and certainly would have given Phase 4 a nice boost if they were able to land a sequel in 2021 in the midst of the relatively unknown franchises being launched.

Honestly, while Marvel will be doing well when the movies resume, they don't have any slam dunks on the schedule that will be doing Avengers numbers for a while.

 

[dpippel]

I think that Marvel is going to have a hard time replicating the success of Phases 1-3 in Phase 4 and beyond. A very hard time.

 

[Sam Posten]

Posts removed. Cool it with the misogyny and politics.