Chadwick Boseman’s brother joined a movement to have the actor’s “Black Panther” character recast following his death.
Derrick Boseman believes T’Challa should live on in the “Black Panther” franchise, even if that means choosing another actor to play the character, he told TMZ.
Derrick told the outlet that Chadwick would have wanted the character to live on as well, saying the late actor believed T’Challa was bigger than himself. He noted the role had a huge impact on African American youth.
Chadwick Boseman’s brother Derrick has joined the movement to have the late actor’s “Black Panther” character recast. (Brian Stukes/Getty Images)
Marvel’s vice president of development Nate Moore revealed the franchise had decided not to recast T’Challa during a podcast appearance in November.
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“When Chad passed, it was a real conversation we had with [director Ryan] Coogler about, ‘What do we do?’ and it was a fast conversation,” he said. “It wasn’t weeks — it was minutes of, we had to figure out how to move that franchise on without that character. Because I think we all feel so much of T’Challa in the MCU on the screen … is tied to Chadwick’s performance.”
Meanwhile, fans are requesting the character be recast, with a Change.org petition having reached over 43,000 signatures by the time this article was published.
Fans have created a Change.org petition to have T’Challa recast, despite Marvel’s decision not to. (Marvel)
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“If Marvel Studios removes T’Challa, it would be at the expense of the audiences (especially Black boys and men) who saw themselves in him,” the petition said. “That also includes the millions of fans who were inspired by the character as well.”
“By not recasting, it could stifle the opportunity for one of the most popular, leading Black superheroes to add on to their legacy.”
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Boseman passed away at the age of 43 from cancer. (Photo by Victoria Will/Invision/AP, File)
Boseman, who played Black American icons Jackie Robinson and James Brown before inspiring audiences worldwide as the regal Black Panther in Marvel’s blockbuster movie franchise, died in 2020 at age 43 from cancer.
Fox News’ Julius Young contributed to this report.
Source: www.foxnews.com