'Black Panther' Franchise Will Continue, But the Late Chadwick Boseman's Titular Role Will Never Be Recast

King T'Challa will forever be embodied by Chadwick Boseman, Disney officials have confirmed. During Disney Investor Day, the entertainment giant revealed a "Black Panther 2" is in the works and confirmed the titular role previously portrayed by the late Boseman will not be recast.

"(Boseman's) portrayal of T'Challa the Black Panther is iconic and transcends any iteration of the character in any other medium from Marvel's past, and it's for that reason, that we will not react the character," Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige said during his presentation at Disney Investor Day, CNN reported. "However, to honor the legacy that Chad helped us build, we want to continue to explore the world of Wakanda and all the rich and varied characters introduced in the first film."

The sequel is scheduled to be released on July 8, 2022 and being written by Ryan Coogler, writer and director of the first "Black Panther" film. 

Boseman died at the age of 43 after a private four-year-long battle against colon cancer. 

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