Lupita Nyong'o Talks 'Black Panther' Sequel and Missing Chadwick Boseman

As Black Panther 2 forges on with a restructured script and without the presence of lead actor Chadwick Boseman, fans have speculated how the franchise will continue.

Lupita Nyong’o recently spoke to Yahoo, shedding some light on how the cast and crew have moved forward since the death of Boseman. Nyong’o revealed, “I can’t even begin to imagine what it will be like to step on set and not have him there. His passing is still extremely raw for me.” She adds, “People will ask me, ‘Are you excited to go back?’ Excitement isn’t the word. I feel like I’m in a very pensive and meditative state when it comes to Black Panther 2.”

Ryan Coogler is expected to have rewritten a script that honors the late actor’s legacy. Nyong’o compliments Coogler’s leadership stating, “We have a leader in Ryan, who feels very much like we do, who feels the loss in a very, very real way as well. And his idea, the way which he has reshaped the second movie is so respectful of the loss we’ve all experienced as a cast and as a world.” It is clear that Boseman left a lasting impact both on and off the screen. Despite the immense loss felt amongst the Marvel community, Nyong’o is still looking forward to filming, “I do look forward to, is getting back together and honoring what he started with us and holding his light through it. Because he left us a lot of light that we’re still going to be bathing in. I know that for sure.”

The Black Panther sequel resumes production later this year and is set to film in Georgia. The release date is listed for July 22, 2022.

In other entertainment news, Big Sean recently announced that he will be launching a weekly wellness series with his mom.