Lupita Nyong'o Defends Marvel's Decision Not To Recast Chadwick Boseman Role For Black Panther 2

More than any other Marvel movie, "Black Panther" meant a lot to audiences. It was the first Marvel movie led by a black hero, and its mostly black cast set a whole new standard for representation in superhero movies. For many young black children, T'Challa was the kind of on-screen role model they had never had before.

This is another particularly tragic aspect of Boseman's death. He was a role model to many, a hero on and off the big screen. With him gone, many children lost their favorite Avenger, and the Avengers movie lost a character who would play a huge role in the future.

Marvel's decision not to recast the role is a relief, as any attempt to recapture the organic magic of Boseman's performance would have seemed like a cheap imitation, aiming to recoup lost money studios. Nyong'o feels the same in the Hollywood Reporter interview.

"It's not the death of Black Panther, that's the whole point. It's resting [T'Challa] and allowing real life to inform history I know there's all kinds of reasons why people want it recast, but I don't have the patience, I don't have the presence of mind, or I don't I don't have the objectivity to argue with this. I'm very biased."

So while Boseman's absence from the film and on set is certainly felt, I think it's fair to keep the franchise going. Not because of its impact on the wider Marvel Cinematic Universe, but because of what it means for so many Black children and adults who finally have superheroes who look like them.