Marvel May Already Have Plans To Replace Black Panther According To A New Rumor

Following the tragic and unexpected death of Chadwick Boseman, plans for the second "Black Panther" film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe changed. In "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever," Shuri (Letitia Wright) takes the titular mantle, becoming the new protector of Wakanda. However, new rumors suggest she may be passing the role to someone else.

Alex Perez did a Q&A with The Cosmic Circus regarding Marvel's big screen future, discussing everything from what Avengers' line-up to expect in the upcoming "Secret Wars" crossover to his thoughts on the third "Black Panther" film. When asked about the MCU's plans for Shuri, he said she will continue in the role of Black Panther for now, but eventually will pass the mantle to Prince T'Challa (Divine Love Konadu-Sun), the son of T'Challa and Nakia seen in the post-credit scene of "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever." 

"So here's the interesting bit," Perez wrote. "Shuri is still taking time for herself, as she is not interested in the slightest in being Queen of Wakanda. She is still keeping the mantle of Black Panther, BUT, I am hearing that she will eventually pass on the mantle to the one true successor of the throne of Wakanda, the young Prince T'Challa, son of King T'Challa. It is to my understanding that she, along with Okoye and Nakia, are raising this child so he can eventually take on the mantle and become the next ruler of Wakanda and Black Panther."

Chadwick Boseman's passing led "Black Panther" director Ryan Coogler to consider all of his options, including recasting the role. However, Coogler and the creative team behind "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" decided not to, believing no one else could follow in Boseman's footsteps. "For somebody else to be him, for us in the world that we created, we wouldn't have believed it. No matter how good the actor was, it would've been lacking the necessary truth for us to do a good job," Coogler said on "Wakanda Forever: The Official Black Panther Podcast." 

Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige echoed those sentiments in an interview with the Hollywood Reporter, saying, "It just felt like it was much too soon to recast. Stan Lee always said that Marvel represents the world outside your window," Feige said. "And we had talked about how, as extraordinary and fantastical as our characters and stories are, there's a relatable and human element to everything we do. The world is still processing the loss of [Chadwick Boseman]. And Ryan [Coogler] poured that into the story."

Ultimately, Marvel Studios made the difficult decision to retire the role of T'Challa on the big screen in honor of Boseman. But, if the rumors about Prince T'Challa taking his place are true, they may have found a terrific way to continue T'Challa's legacy (assuming Shuri passes it on) through his in-universe son, while paying respect to the late actor.