Black Panther director Ryan Coogler and Marvel head Kevin Feige reflect on the tragic passing of Chadwick Boseman in 2020.
It’s certain almost everyone reading this article knows the tale of Chadwick Boseman. Yet it still remains odd how much the world has changed since his passing. Kevin Feige is currently in the process of wrapping up the MCU’s Multiverse Saga, and Ryan Coogler has already made a second Black Panther film, with a third on the way. Coogler is also a newly-minted Oscar winner for his role as the writer and director of Sinners.
Prior to Ryan Coogler’s big win, Kevin Feige sat down with the director to speak about their journey through and beyond the MCU at the University of Southern California (via The Hollywood Reporter). The conversation eventually turned to the passing of Chadwick Boseman, with Feige reflecting that he took the future for granted when it came to many of his colleagues.
“We will be back in there, that was always my expectation. So the need to set a dinner or a lunch to say hi, I just never do. Because we’re busy and because we’re going to have a next time. And that hit me like a ton of bricks when I realized that there wasn’t going to be a next time.”
Ryan Coogler Reflects On Chadwick Boseman’s Death
Ryan Coogler has spoken many times about how the death of Chadwick Boseman affected him. However, what was new in this chat was that he revealed how Kevin Feige and Disney CEO Bob Iger handled the situation behind the scenes. Namely, they weren’t worried about the MCU or the next Black Panther, but simply about how the director was holding up.
“They came to our apartment in lockdown …and we walked around the Richmond Arena and just talked. And that was the first real check-in. And it wasn’t ‘Hey, what are we going to do about this franchise?’ It was about, ‘Hey, are you OK? How are you taking it?’…It was real moment where you see the humanity beyond the corporate things and the financial responsibilities.”
“There was only one Chad, bro. And there was only one character that was really meant for him.”
It’s likely that this year or the next, Ryan Coogler will be making his return to the MCU to helm Black Panther 3. With rumors circulating that Kevin Feige is looking to recast the titular character following the end of the Multiverse Saga, it’ll be interesting to see how the director handles the end of his own saga with the character, and how Chadwick Boseman’s legacy will continue to affect the franchise.
Black Panther 3 is currently in development at Marvel Studios. Stay tuned for the latest news regarding the future of Black Panther!
