Chadwick Boseman death: Is this the end of Marvel's Black Panther franchise?
Chadwick Boseman is no more. It isn't easy to comprehend news of this magnitude. The world is still in a state of shock and no amount of adjectives or metaphors used to describe the 43-year-old will do justice for what he did with 'Black Panther'. When the film came in as the 18th movie of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, not many knew what to expect. Boseman's character, T'Challa was already introduced in 'Captain America: Civil War' and while he's been an integral character in the comics, much about 'Black Panther' was a mystery.
Critically acclaimed, it was termed as one of the best films set in the MCU and noted its cultural significance, with organizations including the National Board of Review and American Film Institute naming it one of the top 10 films of 2018. And following the massive success, there were no surprises when Ryan Coogler was asked to come back and helm the sequel. But the news of Boseman's tragic death changes a lot of things. The most important question: "Is this the end of the 'Black Panther' franchise.
It's a hard question to answer really. One of the reasons why Black Panther was introduced late in the MCU was probably to make him the leader of the next breed of superheroes. With 'Avengers: Endgame', a major bunch of heroes moved away from the spotlight, and leading the new entrants to save the world from evil was T'Challa. It is too early to even debate if the MCU might call curtains down on the franchise. Ideally, they shouldn't and this means finding an actor who could fill in the void Boseman left.
Safe to say, it's hard to imagine if any actor could do justice to the part. Personally, the thought of Michael B Jordan as the next Black Panther is definitely interesting, but he did die in the film and if the MCU intends to bring him back, then it would either have to be a believable change in script or a reboot. With the film slated to release in May 2022, there's enough time for Marvel to figure out the way forward.
The worst isn't thought about yet. Primarily because it raises more questions than answers. As far as continuity goes, the sequel will pretty much focus on Wakanda in the aftermath of 'Endgame' but replacing T'Challa will be a tough call. One way is to look at the new talent in the form of John Boyega ('Star Wars'), or Luke James ('The Chi') who could fill in his boots. Bringing back Erik/Killmonger (Jordan) would be a mixed opinion. He was given a powerful death scene in the film and that may end up being wasted if he's coming back.
Then there's Shuri (Letitia Wright), who is the actual heir once T'Challa is gone. This will be a great new direction for the franchise. Imagine a female Black Panther. Not to say it's not been done as he donned the mantle for a brief period in the comics.
These problems are on the production front. Once news of Boseman's death sinks in completely, the first order of business is to decide to shelve or continue the franchise. Most of the major characters in the MCU have at least four standalone films to their credit. Chris Hemsworth's Thor will be seen in 'Love and Thunder' which will the fourth film with the superhero as the titular character. Chris Evans and Robert Downey Jr have had three films of their own. Brie Larson's 'Captain Marvel' and Benedict Cumberbatch's 'Doctor Strange' sequels are anyway in the works.
Quite simply, canceling the franchise and cutting short the story isn't an answer. And it shouldn't be. Breaking down the film from every possible angle gives all the more reason to continue the legacy of 'Black Panther'. For the sake of business, which after all it is in the end, there's more for Marvel to lose. The moolah raked in was on a billion-dollar scale against a budget of $200 million. The critical response was positive.
The New York Times, Manohla Dargis called Black Panther "a jolt of a movie", and lavished praise, calling it as an "emblem of a past that was denied and a future that feels very present" due to its focus on black imagination, creation, and liberation. Tre Johnson of the Rolling Stones felt it was a different route taken from the Blaxploitation films of the '70s. He also opined the "Blaxploitation-lite" attempts at black superhero films in the 1990s and 2000s because it was "respectable, imaginative and powerful", setting "a new direction" for the portrayal of black superheroes.
There's the answer then. 'Black Panther's success was unparalleled and while we may sound fanlike with a phrase like that, the proof is out there for the world to see. Perhaps, Marvel might take a cue from the very words 'T'Challa says when he mourns the death of his father in 'Captain America: Civil War'— "In my culture death is not the end. It's more of a . . . stepping-off point. You reach out with both hands and Bast and Sekhmet, they lead you into the green veldt where . . . you can run forever."
And that's probably every reason for the MCU to continue the franchise. Because death is never the end, even though Black Panther isn't the same without Chadwick Boseman.