Black Panther 2 is reportedly set to begin shooting in Atlanta in July 2021, after being temporarily sidelined after the tragic and unexpected death of actor Chadwick Boseman, according to sources that spoke with The Hollywood Reporter. The movie was originally scheduled to begin filming in March before the delays.
In addition to the new production date, Narcos: Mexico star Tenoch Huerta is said to be joining the film as an unidentified antagonist. He will star alongside returning cast members from the first Black Panther, including Letitia Wright, Winston Duke, Lupita Nyong’o, and Angela Bassett.
THR’s sources also implied that Wright’s character, Shuri, the younger sister of T’Challa, could potentially see a much larger role in the upcoming film. This would be consistent with Shuri’s trajectory in the comics, where she has taken over the Black Panther mantle in her brother’s stead several times.
There are no updates to offer about recasting the role of T’Challa, but Marvel Studios executive producer Victoria Alonso has already confirmed that there are no plans to digitally recreate or otherwise manufacture a VFX version of Chadwick Boseman to use in the film. “There is only one Chadwick, and he is no longer with us,” Alonso said.
While 2020 may have heralded a full-stop for Marvel Studios productions and represented the first year since 2009 where the company released no movies, 2021 is shaping up to look like a very busy year. The first of the much-delayed Disney+ MCU TV shows, WandaVision, will be hitting the platform on January 15, while Black Widow will finally hit theaters on May 7 after being pushed back for a full year.
Black Panther 2 is scheduled for release in 2022.
