Black Panther: Wakanda Forever star, Lupita Nyong'o opened up about her emotional response to the film after initial hesitation about its reworking following the passing of Chadwick Boseman. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever releases on November 11, 2022, and will be the sequel to the 2018 film, Black Panther. The original film starred Boseman as the titular character and sees the young man claiming his rightful place as the King of Wakanda and facing a new and powerful foe who threatens the safety of the people of Wakanda.
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Boseman was initially set to reprise his role as King T'Challa (a.k.a. Black Panther) in the Black Panther sequel. However, Boseman passed away in 2020 after a private battle with colon cancer. The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) and Black Panther director, Ryan Coogler, made the decision not to recast T'Challa or recreate him digitally. Instead, Coogler reworked Black Panther: Wakanda Forever to honor the legacy of Boseman. The sequel has divided viewers, with some supporting the MCU's decision and others leading campaigns to recast T'Challa. Now, the stars of the film are speaking out on their perspective of the sequel.
In an interview with Empire Magazine, Black Panther star, Nyong'o, opened up about her emotional response to the film's sequel. Nyong'o explained that she was initially hesitant about the film being reworked after Boseman's passing. After all, she had been privy to the initial sequel with Boseman in it, thus, making it hard for her to imagine the project without him. This led to her actually dreading what the reworking would be. However, when she saw the final project and the beautiful way in which it honored Boseman, she was left in tears. Check out her statement below:
"I didn’t have doubts – I had dread. [Director] Ryan [Coogler] had walked me through what the film was going to be when Chadwick was still alive. And so once we lost him, the thought that we could go on, it was just unfathomable to me. What Ryan ended up sharing with me was just so utterly truthful and beautiful. By the end of it, I was in tears."
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Nyong'o's statement gives viewers insight into what to expect from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. The tragic passing of Boseman left the stars of the film, as well as audiences, uncertain of the future. First, there were questions such as whether the film would even continue development, if T'Challa would be recast, or if Boseman's likeness would be recreated digitally. Once Coogler's decision was made clear that Black Panther: Wakanda Forever would honor Boseman's legacy, many still questioned what exactly that meant. As more details, including Black Panther: Wakanda Forever's trailer, were released, it has been revealed that the film will follow Wakanda's brutal war with another tribe in the wake of T'Challa's passing.
Now, Nyong'o is ensuring audiences that she had a similar reaction to Black Panther: Wakanda Forever's reworking. It wasn't just doubts that she had, but actual dread, considering her closeness to Boseman and her knowledge of the initial sequel. However, she chose to put her full faith in Coogler and ended up being emotionally awed by the end product. She declared that the sequel is something beautiful, emotional, and truthful. Seeing Black Panther: Wakanda Forever evoke such an emotional response from someone who worked directly with Boseman promises that the film will truly make viewers cry as it pays tribute to Boseman and his legacy.