Jeff Sneider recently claimed that Marvel Studios is looking for actors to play T’Challa from a different universe, in upcoming MCU films. In a new bit shared by Screen Rant, he also mentioned that at least one Hollywood star already turned down the role.
“With Marvel reshuffling the deck in advance of ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ and ‘Avengers: Secret Wars,’ and Robert Downey Jr. coming back not as Iron Man but as Doctor Doom, I’m told that the door is firmly open for T’Challa to be recast via the magic of the multiverse,” the insider wrote.
“I heard that an actor was actually offered the role this past fall,” the rumor read, “a couple of months after Downey’s big reveal at Comic-Con, but they turned it down, not wanting to jeopardize their career momentum by stepping into Boseman’s gigantic shoes, which may be too big to fill, even for Hollywood’s most talented Black actors.”
“Now, it’s unclear whether T’Challa will appear in ‘Avengers: Doomsday,’ or ‘Avengers: Secret Wars,’ but I think it’s fair to assume that whoever is cast as the character will reprise the role in ‘Black Panther 3,’ which has been discussed by everyone from Ryan Coogler to Denzel Washington.”
Chadwick Boseman, who originally played T’Challa in ‘Black Panther’ and several Marvel films, passed away in 2020, from colon cancer right when he was getting ready for a sequel.
After Boseman’s death, the studio canceled their original plans for ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,’ declaring his character’s off-screen passing. The Wakandan king’s sister took over his mantle while the ending revealed that he had a son named after him.
‘Black Panther 3’ is reportedly under development with Ryan Coogler returning as director right now. But it’s still not clear how T’Challa will be included in the storyline, with few details available about the movie’s direction.
