Marvel

Ryan Coogler reflects on making 'Black Panther: Wakanda Forever' without Chadwick Boseman

By Sophia Soto | Last updated Apr 17, 2025 6:36 PM ET

While promoting his new film Sinners, Ryan Coogler opened up about making 2022's Black Panther: Wakanda Forever after the death of Chadwick Boseman, who played T'Challa/Black Panther.

In Marvel Studios’ “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett), Shuri (Letitia Wright), M’Baku (Winston Duke), Okoye (Danai Gurira) and the Dora Milaje (including Florence Kasumba) fight to protect their nation from intervening world powers in the wake of King T’Challa’s death. As the Wakandans strive to embrace their next chapter, the heroes must band together with the help of War Dog Nakia (Lupita Nyong’o) and Everett Ross (Martin Freeman) and forge a new path for the kingdom of Wakanda.

He recalls it being a time of "complicated grief," while speaking with The Guardian. "Sometimes it’s actually a relief having something to do, so you can’t sit in that terrible feeling … After we put the movie out, my heart broke almost even more, because I realised all the work had been distracting me from the fact that Chad’s not going to make any more movies," he explained.

Boseman was diagnosed with stage III colon cancer in 2016 and passed away in 2020 after a 4-year battle as it progressed to stage IV. ⁣His wife and family were by his side.

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A true fighter, Chadwick persevered through it all, and brought you many of the films you have come to love so much. From Marshall to Da 5 Bloods, August Wilson’s Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom and several more, all were filmed during and between countless surgeries and chemotherapy. ⁣
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It was the honor of his career to bring King T’Challa to life in Black Panther. ⁣

"I was grieving him as a friend, grieving my lead actor and creative partner, but also grieving all of these ideas that we had poured ourselves into," Coogler told CBS News. "In a way we had been keeping him alive by working on the film ... and it hit me, it hit me ... as it finished, that I wouldn't– I felt like I would not be able to work with him again. It felt final. It felt final in a way I didn't expect. But I mean at the same time, I know we put our all into it. I think it's a movie that he would enjoy."

As for a third film, the director said, "I certainly hope so – I love all those guys over there."

Sophia Soto

Sophia Soto is a writer and interviewer with a passion for all things entertainment. She is a Senior Reporter at The Nerds of Color and contributes to Yardbarker, Screensphere, Den of Geek, What to Watch, Nerdtropolis, and Temple of Geek. You can see her past work on Remezcla, Young Hollywood, Looper, Paste Magazine, Primetimer, Soundsphere, and Starry Constellation Magazine

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