Attention, Marvel fans!
Studio chief Kevin Feige told Variety the highly anticipated Black Panther sequel—Black Panther: Wakanda Forever—began production on June 29 at Pinewood Studios in Atlanta.
Ryan Coogler is returning to direct the movie from his screenplay. While details about the plot have yet to be revealed, Feige did tell the outlet the cast from the first movie—minus the late Chadwick Bosman—will return to reprise their roles. Boseman died at the age of 43 last August following a private battle with colon cancer.
"It's clearly very emotional without Chad," Feige told Variety ahead of the Black Widow Global Fan Event in Los Angeles. "But everyone is also very excited to bring the world of Wakanda back to the public and back to the fans. We're going to do it in a way that would make Chad proud."
In December, Disney announced that Marvel Studios will not recast Boseman's role of T'Challa "but will explore the world of Wakanda & the rich characters introduced in the first film."
The original Black Panther movie earned billions at the box office and won three Academy Awards. In addition to Boseman, the film featured an all-star cast including Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong'o, Danai Gurira, Daniel Kaluuya, Letitia Wright, Winston Duke, Martin Freeman, Sterling K. Brown, Angela Bassett, Forest Whitaker and Andy Serkis.
After Boseman's passing, several of the film's stars took to social media to honor his legacy. "He was fueled by love, not fear," Lupita wrote on Instagram. "He moved quietly, deliberately, and without imposing himself or his ideals on others. And yet he also made damn sure that his life meant something. He cared so deeply about humanity, about Black people, about his people. He activated our pride. By pushing through and working with such high purpose in the films he chose to commit to, Chadwick has made the infinite his home."
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is scheduled to be released July 8, 2022.