‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ Production Kicks Off In Atlanta

Production on the highly-anticipated Black Panther sequel, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, has officially begun in Atlanta, GA.

Source: Dan MacMedan / Getty

Ryan Coogler is returning to direct from his screenplay, with Marvel Studios chief Kevin Feige telling Variety that everyone from the original cast is also coming back. Of course, that doesn’t include the film’s star, Chadwick Boseman, who died in August 2020 following a private four-year battle with colon cancer. Multiple big names from the film have already spoken on how his absence will impact filming the sequel, which Marvel’s president Kevin Feige commented on this week.

“It’s clearly very emotional without Chad,” the Marvel boss said before the Black Widow Global Fan Event in Los Angeles on Tuesday night. “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.”

Unfortunately for nosey fans like us, plot details for the sequel still remain under wraps. Feige did not elaborate on which specific actors would be returning, but Danai Gurira, Letitia Wright, Daniel Kaluuya, Winston Duke, Lupita Nyong’o, Florence Kasumba, and Angela Bassett would all likely reprise their roles from the original film.

Now that production is underway, it’s much easier to believe that Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is actually going to make its way to theaters on July 8, 2022, when it’s set to debut. Like every other project in the film industry, they experienced some delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic, in addition to likely having to rework the script following Boseman’s passing.

The sequel is one of 26 upcoming titles on Marvel Studios’ slate for theatrical release and streaming on Disney Plus, including a TV series set within the world of Wakanda that is part of a multi-year overall television deal Coogler and his Proximity Media signed with The Walt Disney Company in February.