Ryan Coogler Black Panther plans came to light during a candid conversation about the late Chadwick Boseman and the unmade sequel to the blockbuster film. In a heartfelt interview, Coogler reflected on the trajectory of Boseman’s career, the impact of his passing in 2020, and the alternate storyline he had devised, which never reached the big screen.
Before Chadwick Boseman was celebrated in Captain America: Civil War and Black Panther, he was already earning respect within Hollywood. However, his portrayal of T’Challa elevated him to international stardom and made major awards seem inevitable for his future career.
When Boseman died due to cancer complications, the loss deeply impacted Marvel Studios. The character T’Challa was not recast; instead, the storyline was shifted. In 2022’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Letitia Wright’s Shuri became the new Black Panther. Wright is set to reprise the role in Avengers: Doomsday, with an eventual transition of the mantle to T’Challa’s son, Toussaint.
Ryan Coogler Reflects on Boseman’s Impact and Unread Sequel Script
Recently, Ryan Coogler joined Josh Horowitz on the Happy Sad Confused podcast to discuss his relationship with the late actor and reveal untold details about the planned Black Panther sequel. Coogler revealed that despite finishing the script, Boseman was too ill to review it.
“I finished it, and I hit him up to read it. He was too sick to read it, bro. That was kind of how the timing was. He was at a place where it wasn’t gonna happen. Our relationship was really interesting. He meant a lot to me. I found out after his passing from his family and from his friends how much I meant to him. I wondered if he knew just how much he meant to me. He protected me from a lot, bro. Our relationship was one of a lot of protection, you know?”
— Ryan Coogler, Director
Coogler revealed that he often felt insecure during the original Black Panther, worried about his position. Boseman stepped up to reassure him, showing leadership and personal support on and off set.
“I was convinced on the toughest days on Panther that I was going to get fired. I would say it all the time. If the actors [were] taking their time to get out of makeup, I’m like, ‘Yo, you got to hurry up, or they’re going to fire me.’ One day, he took me to the side and was like, ‘Yo, stop saying that.’ I was like, ‘Man, I really feel that way.’ He was like, ‘Look at me, bro. I would never let that happen to you. I would not let that happen to you.’ Looking back, he was always protecting me.”
— Ryan Coogler, Director
Navigating Boseman’s illness and eventual passing left a lasting mark on Coogler, both personally and professionally. The director opened up about the pain and the creative depth he poured into the script for the film he would never make with Boseman.
“One of the strongest people was having his strength taken from him by this disease. It damaged me, bro. Probably irreparably, to be honest with you. But I love that script. I put so much into that version of the movie. I felt like I had gotten to know Chadwick as a performer. I threw a lot at Chad in the first Panther, but I realised I was just scratching the surface. Now I know what he can do. I’m going to push him to the limit.”
— Ryan Coogler, Director
The Original Sequel: A Story Centered on T’Challa and His Son
When asked about scenes he was particularly excited to film, Coogler revealed elements of the abandoned screenplay, shedding light on his creative aspirations for the franchise. The central plot involved T’Challa and his son navigating a pivotal event known as the “Ritual of Eight.”
“It was like a 180-page draft chock-full of them. The big thing about the script was this thing called the ‘Ritual of Eight,’ where when a prince is eight years old, he has to go spend eight days in the bush with his father and amongst them, and amongst those eight days, they have to go into the bush without any tools. The prince has to listen to everything that’s asked of him by his father. But the rule is that for those eight days, the prince can ask the father any question, and the father has to answer.”
— Ryan Coogler, Director
This creative concept placed the focus on themes of legacy, fatherhood, and culture. During the sacred ritual, the plot thickened as Namor, the formidable leader from Talokan, set out to attack Wakanda, adding external stakes to the deeply personal rite of passage.
“During the course of those eight days, Namor launches an attack. He had to deal with somebody who was like insanely dangerous, but because of this ritual, his son had to be like joined at his hip the whole time. He was engaging in negotiations, fights, and his son had to be right there, or he’d have to violate this ritual, which had never been broken. That was what the movie was. [With Black Panther: Wakanda Forever], I got a chance to make a movie about women. I love that movie so much.”
— Ryan Coogler, Director
The unmade film would have required Chadwick Boseman to explore even deeper aspects of T’Challa as both a leader and a father, thrust into conflict while simultaneously forging a bond with his son, a direction Marvel Studios has begun to revisit through the introduction of Toussaint.
Legacy of Boseman and Black Panther in the Marvel Cinematic Universe
Although Black Panther: Wakanda Forever found both critical and commercial success, its $859 million global box office haul hinted at the widespread impact and anticipation surrounding the franchise. Marvel Studios chose to tell a story that celebrated Shuri and the women of Wakanda in Boseman’s absence, signaling a powerful shift in direction.
However, Chadwick Boseman’s influence as T’Challa is still felt throughout the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with the character’s legacy intact and new possibilities opening for the future. Marvel’s plans to refocus on T’Challa’s lineage—either as an adult Toussaint or via an alternate version—ensure that the Black Panther remains at the heart of superhero storytelling and cultural conversations.
Ryan Coogler’s journey with Boseman underscores the transformative power of collaboration and artistic ambition. The revealed Ryan Coogler Black Panther plans shed light on what could have been a deeply personal and culturally rich chapter for T’Challa, offering fans insight into a legacy that continues to inspire.
