Ryan Coogler Describes ‘Black Panther 2’s Original Script

Before the death of Chadwick Boseman, Marvel had a totally different plan for a Black Panther sequel. The film initially revolved entirely around Boseman’s T’Challa. In fact, earlier versions of the movie’s script were structured completely differently from the current one.

New trailers for the film show Wakanda mourning the loss of its greatest warrior. In the original script, the film would have instead been about T’Challa learning to cope with his new role as his country’s leader. Ryan Coogler and Lupita Nyong’o spoke about the initial plan with The Hollywood Reporter, shedding a little more light on the film, as well as backlash surrounding the decision not to recast Boseman’s role. Coogler said:

The script we wrote before Chadwick passed was very much rooted in T’Challa’s perspective, It was a massive movie but also simultaneously a character study that delved deeply into his psyche and situation.

“That is not the death of the Black Panther, that’s the whole point. It’s laying to rest [T’Challa] and allowing for real life to inform the story of the movies,” added Nyong’o. “I know that there are all sorts of reasons why people want him to be recast, but I don’t have the patience. I don’t have the presence of mind, or I don’t have the objectivity to argue with that. I don’t. I’m very biased.”

In the version of the film coming to theaters, T’Challa’s friends and loved ones must move on from his death while dealing with the threat of an invasion from Namor, who comes from an underwater civilization whose technology is nearly on par with Wakanda. In the MCU, Namor hails from Talocan, a mythical city derived from Aztec mythology. He’s quite a force to be reckoned with.

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is slated for release on November 22nd of 2022.