Marvel Studios has made the decision to retire the character of T'Challa from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and while we don't know how he'll be written out of this shared world, the Black Panther mantle will be passed on to another character.
It feels like the best possible approach following Chadwick Boseman's tragic death, a sentiment Black Panther star Daniel Kaluuya agrees with.
"They retired him from the franchise. I respect that position, and I think that is out of respect for what that man gave to all of us, and what he stayed alive for all of us to experience," he says. "Quietly suffering and continuing to give through that suffering is a side of humanity you just don't see often."
As for how the character should be used in the MCU moving forward, Kaluuya feels that Marvel Studios' priority should be to honour Boseman, and his legacy, in some way.
"For me, what's important to me is not the Black Panther legacy, it's the legacy of Chadwick Boseman, because that's a human being and a spirit that is real. How can we honor that? Black Panther is going to do what Black Panther does, but that's a man that lived for us. He did it for us, did it for our nephews, our nieces, our kids. It's our duty to honor that man the way he honored us."
Rumours continue to persist about who will become the new Black Panther, but regardless of who wears the costume, there are definitely ways for Marvel Studios to ensure Boseman is remembered.
Black Panther II is still set to be released next July, so we should learn more soon. As for Kaluuya, it seems unlikely he'll return to the MCU after betraying T'Challa and aligning himself with Killmonger.
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