Should they recast T'Challa/Black Panther or make Shuri the new Panther?

[Axl Van Sixx]

I would love to see Shuri as Black Panther, but not yet. It just feels too early. They spent so much time building up T'Challa, it would seem like the audience was robbed if the character simply disappeared from the movies.

When I was watching the first Black Panther, I got definite James Bond vibes, specifically during the sequence in South Korea. The whole question of recasting got me thinking about how the James Bond series pioneered the idea of recasting an iconic character. The difference between Sean Connery and Chadwick Boseman is that the former got multiple films while the latter only got one. Or did he...?

In fact, Chadwick's Black Panther appeared in four movies, including his solo film. That's not bad at all. This is not an On Her Majesty's Secret Service one-and-done situation. Chadwick had multiple films to ingratiate himself to audiences. He got more than Timothy Dalton's James Bond. And it's that fact that makes recasting T'Challa feel more tolerable; the best option in a terrible situation.

No matter how iconic an individual actor's performance seems, all of these characters have to be recast sooner or later. One day there will be another actor who plays Tony Stark/Iron Man. The defining characteristic of Hollywood in the last two decades has been moving away from a business model based on stars towards one based on brands. Black Panther, it seems, will be the ultimate test for that model.

 

[Black Is King]

Marvel Studios is going to do right by the Black Panther franchise. Chadwick Boseman's legacy will live forever.

 

[Inhuman117]

 

[Detective Conan]

Victoria Alonso’s full comments:

- What's going to happen with Black Panther II? There were talks about creating a CGI Boseman...

No. There is only one Chadwick, and he's no longer with us .Unfortunetly, our king is dead, not only in fiction but also in real life. We are taking our time to think how are we going to cotinue that story and what are we going to do to honor this chapter and this unexpected and terrible death. In production, sometimes two or three months are enough, and you say time has pass. But this is not the case, we need to think what are we going to do, how are we going to honor the franchise.

She's might have misspoke, but the “dead in fiction” comments seems to imply that they aren’t planning to use another actor for T’Challa.

 

[Drunken Rider]

Is it possible that T'Challa will be in the Black Panther suit and being masked the entire time ala The Mandalorian?

 

[Gamma Goliath]

Whats the point of that when its not Chad's voice? Might as well play both sides.

 

[Chesterfield]

T'Challa is not dead and even if he was, he'd have to show up in the movie to have his death addressed and he's not going to show up in his costume. The ancestral plane makes it clear that you see the person(s) unmasked; and as they're not CGing T'Challa, they're going to have to recast the role. Might as well recast the role properly and keep the character going. It's the right thing to do within the context of the films and it contrary to what many people believe, honors Chadwick by ushering in a new black actor to have an opportunity of such a great role.

 

[GREEN =w= DAY]

Shuri should keep playing the science geek and it should be Okoye eventually taking over the BP mantle

 

[Delwin]

General movie goers would support a Woke Black Female taking on the role if the media campaigns for it and backs it up. I can't see Disney shying away from repositioning this as another 'female empowerment' franchise, as there was some groundwork for that in the first film.

Are sure it will help the movie? As to the recast - please note that it had happened in MCU already twice at least...

 

[Holy Slapper]

John Campea brought up today that the fact they're going to start shooting in July, hints that Coogler hasn't rewritten his script. That they're using the same script. That leans more into recasting.

 

[Spider-Fan]

That is a good point and it is something I have considered. They also have to have these locations locked down, do the script has to at least be semi-final. Which is not a state I would think a rewritten script would be in at this point.

 

[Gamma Goliath]

John Campea brought up today that the fact they're going to start shooting in July, hints that Coogler hasn't rewritten his script. That they're using the same script. That leans more into recasting.

This is exactly what I was thinking actually. Continue the legacy by honoring the character and the man. I wonder who the new tchalla will be.

 

[Holy Slapper]

This is exactly what I was thinking actually. Continue the legacy by honoring the character and the man. I wonder who the new tchalla will be.

Based on previous instances, any major name that denies it, is a likely candidate.

 

[Frodo]

Well, I've figured they would recast, and while I don't think the new announcement precludes Shuri from becoming BP in the next film or a future film, I think the idea that Shuri as BP being a "done deal" has gone out the window.

It just always made more sense to me that they'd recast the part as opposed to go through the trouble of killing off or removing T'Challa from the series, and then passing the mantle to Shuri.

That may work fine in the comics when you're dealing with a mostly comics readership , but with such a cinematic culture icon and touchstone, you can't just willy nilly get rid of the T'Challa character and replace them with someone else in the suit , even if it is Shuri.

 

[Gamma Goliath]

Theres also the marketing side of things and black panther toys and costumes were doing like crazy good numbers back in 2018.

 

[Frodo]

Yeah. In the general public's mind, T'Challa is BP, fair or not.

Much in the way Tony Stark is Iron Man, Bruce Wayne is Batman , and Clark Kent is Superman ,as far as the GA is concerned.

Yeah, the fan community knows that other characters may have taken the mantle in the comics, or in Batman's case, in comics, and in animation with Batman Beyond.

But when it comes to marketing to the GA , it becomes tough to try to retrain people to think of another character taking up that mantle.

It's much less work to recast a role when audiences already expect the T'Challa character to fill the suit.

At that point , it becomes a question of finding the right actor , and the audience accepting that actor in the role.

 

[Chesterfield]

Shuri should keep playing the science geek and it should be Okoye eventually taking over the BP mantle

The fact that you're suggesting this really emphasises how poorly the solo film handled the whole BP mantle. You had Ramonda and Shuri running around trying to give the HSH to the likes of Nakia and M'Baku as if anyone can just take that ish and voila! Powers. That's not at how it works and it's frustrating they took that route as it really cheapens who can become BP and trivialises T'Challa's importance.

To become BP, yes, you have to win the trial by combat but ultimately, you still need the anointing and blessing from Bast to become the BP. In the comics (which so many fake fans like to use as an excuse to champion Shuri to take over) Shuri was rejected by Bast. This is indicative of T'Challa's unique and special quality as to why he's Bast's champion and the most significant Panther and King Wakanda has ever had. So no, Okoye, head of the Dora Milaje should not become the BP.

As it is, BP has 4 strong well written women. 4! With Shuri having a bigger role, not having T'Challa as the lead in these films, with his story incomplete is a failure of catastrophic proportions and is a huge b-slap to Stan Lee and the reason as to why he created T'Challa in the first place.

It should be noted that EVERYONE and EVERYTHING in and about Wakanda serves as a prop. A PROP! to T'Challa.

 

[Chesterfield]

Right, anyone care to share realistic candidates as to who could become the next T'Challa...and please, no dumb suggestions like Will Smith, Taye Diggs, Morris Chestnut or any other lazy casting suggestions.

 

[killface]

Right, anyone care to share realistic candidates as to who could become the next T'Challa...and please, no dumb suggestions like Will Smith, Taye Diggs, Morris Chestnut or any other lazy casting suggestions.

Andre Holland, Trevante Rhodes or Lakeith Stanfield.

I'd easily go with Daniel Kaluuya or Idris Elba (playing an older version of T'Challa) but they already have MCU roles

 

[Dark Raven]

Based on previous instances, any major name that denies it, is a likely candidate.

Including Samuel L Jackson, Michael B Jordan, Robert Downey Jr, Anthony Mackie, Don Cheadle and Mashershala Ali.

 

[GREEN =w= DAY]

Right, anyone care to share realistic candidates as to who could become the next T'Challa...and please, no dumb suggestions like Will Smith, Taye Diggs, Morris Chestnut or any other lazy casting suggestions.

Eddie Murphy

 

[OnTheAir]

Yahya Abdul Mateen II

 

[OB12]

William Jackson Harper (The Good Place) or Ato Essandoh (Away)

 

[BobJM]

Are we 100% the Jonathan Majors announcement wasn’t a misdirect? Maybe he’s been cast as T’Challa.

Jonathan Majors to Make Paul Rudd Look Very Small in Ant-Man 3

I was a big Aldis Hodge supporter, but he’s since been cast as Hawkman in Black Adam—though I’m not entirely convinced yet that'll be made. In any case, he’s off the table for now.

Some other choices, in no particular order. I do think, however, that the top 3 are the only ones that sound potentially exciting; and even then I’m torn because of Yahya’s already in Watchmen and he’s Black Manta in the DCEU. JDW doesn’t quite fit, not in my opinion at least. Stephan James (Homecoming, If Beale Street Could Talk) would probably be the best bet—

The latter 4 feel like a step down. Love Jay Ellis, but T’Challa doesn’t seem right for him—he’s more Reed Richards IMO.

Stephan James

Jonathan David Washington

Yahya Abdul-Mateen II

Jay Ellis

Trevante Rhodes

John Boyega

Y’lan Noel

 

[Chesterfield]

William Jackson Harper (The Good Place) or Ato Essandoh (Away)

I'm interested to know and understand your thought process behind these casting suggestions.