Despite rumors claiming she had been cast, Rihanna will not star in the upcoming Marvel film Black Panther 2. In 2018, Marvel debuted Black Panther, their first film with a Black lead. The titular character, Chadwick Boseman's T'Challa, had been introduced previously in Captain America: Civil War before getting his solo film, which proved to be a massive success among audiences. Black Panther became one of the highest-grossing movies within the MCU and the first to be nominated for Oscars. It was inevitable that a sequel would be on the way, though Black Panther 2 has been slow to arrive.

In August, Boseman tragically passed away following a four-year battle with colon cancer, much to the shock of Hollywood and fans everywhere. As Boseman had been expected to return for Black Panther 2, this left a large gap in the highly-anticipated sequel. Marvel has so far remained quiet about their plans for Black Panther 2, though it was confirmed they won't recreate Boseman's likeness with CGI. With production slated to begin in July 2021, behind the scenes efforts have slowly begun ramping up, which has led to a rather big casting rumor.

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Earlier this week, rumors began swirling that music icon Rihanna had joined the cast of Black Panther 2. This emerged from the fact that if one Googled the film, she was listed among the film's stars. However, E! News has confirmed this is not the case; Rihanna will not be appearing in Black Panther 2. Beyond that incorrect list, there is no evidence to suggest she would be.

Rihanna as Marion Crane in Bates Motel

This is not the first time a high-profile singer's involvement with Black Panther 2 has been debunked, as it was once reported Beyoncé would contribute to the soundtrack. That is not the case. Though Rihanna has appeared in a handful of films over the years, most notably Ocean's 8 in 2018, she evidently is not making the jump to the MCU. Undoubtedly, this will be seen as a disappointment by her fans, but it just sadly isn't in the cards right now.

Black Panther 2 is expected to see the returns of several stars from the first film, including Letitia Wright, Lupita Nyong'o, and Angela Bassett. Narcos: Mexico star Tenoch Huerta has reportedly been cast as the villain, though little else is known about his role. Beyond that, much of Black Panther 2 remains a mystery, and it remains to be seen as to when Marvel will pull back the curtain a bit more on this project. Most fans are still wondering how Boseman's passing will be handled; that will likely remain the biggest question for a while. Still, at least one Black Panther 2 rumor has officially been debunked.

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Source: E! News

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