Black Panther: Wakanda Forever producer Nate Moore opens up about how Chadwick Boseman's death puts an extra pressure to get the sequel right. Boseman had made his Marvel Cinematic Universe debut as the titular hero in Captain America: Civil War before going on to lead his own film in 2018 and returning in Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame. Development on the Black Panther sequel quickly got underway following the film's record-breaking release, with writer/director Ryan Coogler returning alongside Boseman and most of the cast, though would be put on hiatus following Boseman's death in 2020 from colon cancer.

After a few months of deliberating on how to move forward, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever would forge on ahead, electing not to recast the role of T'Challa or utilize a digital double, though how the film will address his absence is currently unknown. The sequel will see the returns of stars Lupita Nyong'o, Danai Gurira, Martin Freeman, Letitia Wright and Angela Bassett as well as introducing Dominique Thorne and Michaela Coel to the MCU. As production on Black Panther: Wakanda Forever continues to see problems, one involved behind the scenes is offering new insight into the hurdles the team is facing on the sequel.

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While speaking with ComicBook.com's Phase Zero podcast, producer Nate Moore opened up about Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. In reflecting on the loss of Boseman last year, Moore described there being a "different sort of pressure" in making sure the film lives up to the late star's legacy with its story. See what Moore said below:

"I think this movie has different sort of pressure on it, obviously, with the loss of Chadwick, which was unexpected and unprecedented in a way narratively, to figure out how to deal with. So beyond, 'Hey, we want to make a big, fun time,' and people of the first movie, it's how do we sort of do right by his legacy and tell a story that isn't exploitative, which we would never, ever do, but builds on the things that he loved about the property and builds on the things that he brought to the property in a way that is enjoyable, feels real, feels earned, feels organic. Because I think we're going to see the movie in two lenses, pure entertainment, but also cathartic. And we have to be conscious of both of those lenses as we're making it."

Chadwick Boseman as TChalla in Avengers Endgame

Boseman's death was the cherry on top of the devastating sundae that was 2020 for many audiences, both MCU and general, and has left many wondering how Black Panther: Wakanda Forever will work around this. Though Moore's comments may not offer any answers as to the narrative plan, his words are sure to come as some comfort to fans as the creative team are clearly taking in everything into account in crafting a worthwhile sequel, both in entertainment and in honoring the late star. While fans may be happy that Marvel and the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever filmmakers chose to keep Boseman's status as T'Challa intact, there are some now aiming their direction towards another star.

Production on Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is now being seen by many as a cursed one as not only did supporting star Dorothy Steel pass away before completing her filming, but it has been put on hiatus while Wright recovers from her second on-set injury. A lot of attention is also currently being directed to Wright's reported anti-vaccination stance, which she has since denied, and how it could lead to an extended hiatus further delaying other MCU releases in the next two years. Until further word comes for the sequel's development, audiences can look forward to Black Panther streaming on Disney+ in an IMAX-enhanced format beginning this week, as well as revisit Boseman's final performance as T'Challa in the animated series What If...? streaming now.

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Source: ComicBook.com

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