Should they recast T'Challa/Black Panther or make Shuri the new Panther?

[Black Is King]

I am highly intrigued by T’Challa getting recast with Aldis Hodge in the lead role. Aldis has the acting chops (see the Underground tv series), the look, and presence to be King T’Challa, The Black Panther.

There is TOO MUCH story left to tell with T’CHALLA. We haven’t even seen a T’Challa era ruling as king of Wakanda, T’Challa fight Namor, or T’Challa marry Storm! Killing that character off screen will never sit right with me.

T’Challa is a BLACK MAN who is a king, a superhero, a cultural icon, and an inspiration to MILLIONS of Black children and universally everyone. Bruce Wayne and Clark Kent have been played by multiple actors and the same should continue for King T’Challa.

 

[MCU King]

But not now, and certainly not for Black Panther 2. Put Shuri on the throne, give Okoye the suit and have Nakia carrying T'Challa's son. I believe something along those lines is more respectful of Chadwick's legacy than re-tailoring his suit for some rando.

T'Challa is too culturally important to get rid of.

He's one of the few positive masculine role models in the genre for young Black boys, perhaps even the only one currently.

The film really seemed to push that idea forward with the whole father/son dynamic between T'Challa and his father VS Killmonger and his father. With the later being a Black man who grew up without that role model. Even ending the film with T'Challa inspiring the young boy in Oakland.

Hollywood generally has a bad habit of either emasculating Black men;

Or having them play stereotypical comedic relief roles in these types of genre films.

Getting rid of T'Challa would be a massive loss and would probably alienate some of the intended audience.

 

[Webfoot Hero]

I think they have to recast T'Challa because otherwise there are no other black men returning from the first one besides Winston Duke's M'Baku and maybe some of the tribal leaders. Of the other male characters in the first film, Klaue, Zuri and Killmonger are dead, W'Kabi is likely in a Wakandan prison, Ross is a white US government official.

 

[Fincher]

I'm just not comfortable with "what Chadwick would have wanted" being used as an argument, especially by people who didn't actually know him. To me, putting words in his mouth like that is more of a problem than recasting him itself. If Marvel does recast him when he never said to do that, then they're recasting without getting his blessing and they'll have to own that, for better or worse.

 

[Chesterfield]

Hollywood generally has a bad habit of either emasculating Black men;

What they did with Boyega's character was a travesty. Just look at the ridiculousness of the gif. SMH!

 

[Holy Slapper]

I am highly intrigued by T’Challa getting recast with Aldis Hodge in the lead role. Aldis has the acting chops (see the Underground tv series), the look, and presence to be King T’Challa, The Black Panther.

There is TOO MUCH story left to tell with T’CHALLA. We haven’t even seen a T’Challa era ruling as king of Wakanda, T’Challa fight Namor, or T’Challa marry Storm! Killing that character off screen will never sit right with me.

T’Challa is a BLACK MAN who is a king, a superhero, a cultural icon, and an inspiration to MILLIONS of Black children and universally everyone. Bruce Wayne and Clark Kent have been played by multiple actors and the same should continue for King T’Challa.

Another good choice. Much better option than Washington when it comes to physical appearance. You need to have a tall enough T'Challa.

 

[Gladius Nova]

What they did with Boyega's character was a travesty. Just look at the ridiculousness of the gif. SMH!

All of his yelling “REY!!!!” every damn minute was cringe...smh

 

[MCU King]

Another good choice. Much better option than Washington when it comes to physical appearance. You need to have a tall enough T'Challa.

Movie magic

 

[Marvel united]

T'Challa is too culturally important to get rid of.

He's one of the few positive masculine role models in the genre for young Black boys, perhaps even the only one currently.

The film really seemed to push that idea forward with the whole father/son dynamic between T'Challa and his father VS Killmonger and his father. With the later being a Black man who grew up without that role model. Even ending the film with T'Challa inspiring the young boy in Oakland.

Hollywood generally has a bad habit of either emasculating Black men;

Or having them play stereotypical comedic relief roles in these types of genre films.

Getting rid of T'Challa would be a massive loss and would probably alienate some of the intended audience.

Alienate who, exactly? I doubt many would be alienated by the women of Wakanda taking charge. The film's celebration and empowerment of women was one of it's most praised aspects.

As for the masculinity, Black men have been depicted as hyper-masculine figures in media since the dawn of time. Historically, it's expected of us. Often times to the point where it crosses into racial caricature stereotypes. It's a good thing now that there are multiple models for young Black boys to look up to because they need to know that there isn't a particular "way" that a Black man HAS to be in society. Sometimes, Black boys are brought up in homes where they are punished for veering outside that box of masculinity, and this can be, and is, damaging. It breeds a toxic environment for young men.

If you mean "leading man" then thankfully, we have Captain America and soon, Blade. The Black Panther being a Black woman would also be a revolutionary act.

 

[Schlosser85]

Agreed, I didn't like when they did that with Peter Cushing in Rogue One.

I didn't have an issue with Cushing because he'd been dead for 22 years. It feels too soon for anything like that with Chadwick to not be offputting. Plus it wouldn't be Chadwick, it would be his face slapped onto another actor giving their own performance, so why not just recast?

 

[Schlosser85]

I'm just not comfortable with "what Chadwick would have wanted" being used as an argument, especially by people who didn't actually know him. To me, putting words in his mouth like that is more of a problem than recasting him itself. If Marvel does recast him when he never said to do that, then they're recasting without getting his blessing and they'll have to own that, for better or worse.

Frankly, they don't need it. He didn't own the character.

 

[Webfoot Hero]

Alienate who, exactly? I doubt many would be alienated by the women of Wakanda taking charge. The film's celebration and empowerment of women was one of it's most praised aspects.

As for the masculinity, Black men have been depicted as hyper-masculine figures in media since the dawn of time. Historically, it's expected of us. Often times to the point where it crosses into racial caricature stereotypes. It's a good thing now that there are multiple models for young Black boys to look up to because they need to know that there isn't a particular "way" that a Black man HAS to be in society. Sometimes, Black boys are brought up in homes where they are punished for veering outside that box of masculinity, and this can be, and is, damaging. It breeds a toxic environment for young men.

If you mean "leading man" then thankfully, we have Captain America and soon, Blade. The Black Panther being a Black woman would also be a revolutionary act.

As tough as it is now to imagine someone else in the role, there really needs to be a strong male character in Black Panther 2. Black Panther worked because there were such strong male and female characters. Taking away T'Challa from BP2 would leave them with M'Baku as the only black male character returning from the first film who had any impact on that film's story.

 

[Gladius Nova]

I'm just not comfortable with "what Chadwick would have wanted" being used as an argument, especially by people who didn't actually know him. To me, putting words in his mouth like that is more of a problem than recasting him itself. If Marvel does recast him when he never said to do that, then they're recasting without getting his blessing and they'll have to own that, for better or worse.

I agree 100%.

 

[Marvel united]

I'm aware of the function of BP from an in universe standpoint. That still doesn't change what I said before, IMO.




This doesn't change that he wasn't the first iconic live action version of the character, unlike Chadwick as BP.



...Which again, only contradicts your point. Not only did Christopher not end up in the shadow of his iconic predecessor, he ended up surpassing him in popularity.

Christopher Reeve debuted as Superman more than 20 years after 'Adventures of Superman' ended, in a completely different continuity, in a completely different media format. It is not the same.

 

[Holy Slapper]

Movie magic

You can't make up a 10 cm height difference in black Panther suit with heels. I mean everybody knows how short Washington is, you could see it in BlacKKKlansman.

 

[Holy Slapper]

I'm just not comfortable with "what Chadwick would have wanted" being used as an argument, especially by people who didn't actually know him. To me, putting words in his mouth like that is more of a problem than recasting him itself. If Marvel does recast him when he never said to do that, then they're recasting without getting his blessing and they'll have to own that, for better or worse.

It comes from that Jemele Hill twitter thread. T'Challa is an idea. Chadwick Boseman was an actor who played him. Based on his interviews and the impression I've gotten, nothing indicates to me that Chadwick wouldn't want another black actor to get the experience he got.

 

[Venom 1988]

I didn't have an issue with Cushing because he'd been dead for 22 years. It feels too soon for anything like that with Chadwick to not be offputting. Plus it wouldn't be Chadwick, it would be his face slapped onto another actor giving their own performance, so why not just recast?

I don't care if the dude has been dead for 100 years. I don't like the idea of Hollywood recreating dead actors.

 

[Marvel united]

As tough as it is now to imagine someone else in the role, there really needs to be a strong male character in Black Panther 2. Black Panther worked because there were such strong male and female characters. Taking away T'Challa from BP2 would leave them with M'Baku as the only black male character returning from the first film who had any impact on that film's story.

You can always bring back W'Kabi as he works to redeem himself in honor of T'Challa. And M'Baku is still in the picture.

But I'm completely fine with the cast centering the women of Wakanda

 

[Black Is King]

Another good choice. Much better option than Washington when it comes to physical appearance. You need to have a tall enough T'Challa.

We need a strong Black man to continue to lead and inspire in this role. Shuri is already the smartest character in the MCU, Okoye is the greatest fighter in Wakanda, and the Queen Mother Romonda is the personification of regalness and class. We need that steely fire, commanding presence, and simply just cool kick ass moments by King T'Challa as the Black Panther.

I totally can see Aldis Hodge as King T'Challa.

But I'll be satisfied with whoever Marvel Studies recasts... as long as they recast. They have a great track record in casting.

 

[Dark Raven]

We need a strong Black man to continue to lead and inspire in this role. Shuri is already the smartest character in the MCU, Okoye is the greatest fighter in Wakanda, and the Queen Mother Romonda is the personification of regalness and class. We need that steely fire, commanding presence, and simply just cool kick ass moments by King T'Challa as the Black Panther.

I totally can see Aldis Hodge as King T'Challa.

But I'll be satisfied with whoever Marvel Studies recasts... as long as they recast. They have a great track record in casting.

He was one of my choices before Chadwick Boseman. How old is he now? He seems to have been around for ages. I remember him in Leverage. Aren't they actually bringing back that series with all of the stars except for Timothy Hutton? That might tie him up with that series. Of course, if he were offered Black Panther, that would be a while down the road, and it's not like he would choose Leverage (which he's already been there, done that) in favour of BP unless he's contractually obliged to stick with Leverage (like Pierce Brosnan was with Remington Steel in favour of Bond).

Also this thread ought to have had a poll.

 

[Black Is King]

He was one of my choices before Chadwick Boseman. How old is he now? .

33 years old. He could play Black Panther for a LONG time.

 

[Webfoot Hero]

33 years old. He could play Black Panther for a LONG time.

How is he only 33? Seems Hodge has been around a lot longer but I guess that happens when you get such an early start in acting roles, similar to how it feels like Michael B Jordan has been around so long even though he's still relatively young.

 

[Dark Raven]

He must've been only in his early 20s in Leverage. That was already at least 10 years ago.

 

[Webfoot Hero]

He must've been only in his early 20s in Leverage. That was already at least 10 years ago.

He was around 21-22 when he first filmed Leverage.

 

[Dark Raven]

He was around 21-22 when he first filmed Leverage.

He seemed older back then, even despite playing a humorous character. He certainly didn't look like a boy like Tom Holland can still do.