With the release of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, the world saw the film saying farewell to Chadwick Boseman with honor and love for his legacy, portraying the titular superhero in the MCU.
With his tragic and sudden passing before the production of the aforementioned film began, Marvel Studios had to come up with a different story to explain the absence of the protagonist from the project.
This was the main reason why the original plan that filmmaker Ryan Coogler had for this film could not come to fruition as an alternate narrative was formulated for it. But when it comes to it, the director revealed that his initial vision for the project might’ve been just as impactful considering we would’ve seen T’challa in grief in front of our eyes for the time he lost during The Blip.
Ryan Coogler Had An Equally Tragic Story For Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Before Chadwick Boseman’s Passing
As the world was prepared for the second film of the Black Panther series, the news of Chadwick Boseman’s passing from cancer on 28th August 2020 hit the fandom like a tank of sadness and upset, which also included the plans for the then-upcoming film.
It was later confirmed by the production that the star would not be replaced as King T’challa by another star, which shifted the narrative of the film entirely, emphasizing the absence of the Black Panther.
But when it comes to the initial pan for the film, filmmaker Ryan Coogler revealed that it was something that would’ve been just as tragic as the final story was. In an interview with Inverse, the Creed director revealed that this story would’ve followed the events after Avengers: Endgame, where despite being the King of Wakanda, he wasn’t able to live peacefully knowing he was not present for all those years The Blip had erased him. He said:
“The tone was going to be similar, the character was going to be grieving the loss of time, you know, coming back after being gone for five years. As a man with so much responsibility to so many, coming back after a forced five years absence, that’s what the film was tackling. He was grieving time he couldn’t get back. Grief was a big part of it.”
While the final product followed the same grief-stricken narrative that was originally constructed, it had a whole different meaning than what was envisioned.
Why Was Black Panther Such a Beloved Character?
The main reason why T’challa instantly became a fan favorite in the MCU was because of the stern yet dynamic nature of Boseman’s performance as the superhero, which was adored by people of all ages and cultures.
Complimenting that attribute was the portrayal of the character in the films by Marvel Studios, which made him a larger-than-life character, but at the same time, elaborated him in a manner that he became both an inspiration and character that needed development.
This feature made experiencing every part of his journey more engaging and connected with the audience, creating history.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, streaming on Disney+.
