Thousands ofBlack Pantherfans are petitioning to re-castChadwick Boseman’s King T’Challa in the upcoming Marvelsequel, out of respect for the late actor’s work on the character and to “honor” the hero’s legacy.
Feige previously saidT’Challa would not be recastafter the loss of Boseman, whodied in August after a private cancer battleat the age of 43.
“By not recasting, it could stifle the opportunity for one of the most popular, leading Black superheroes to add on to their legacy,” it continues. “The #1 way to kill a legend, is to stop telling their story.”
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human-interest stories.
Chadwick Boseman as King T’Challa inBlack Panther(2018).Marvel
The petition goes on to encourage signing and using the hashtag #RecastTChalla on social media, but clarifies that the movement’s intention “is not asking for an immediate replacement” in the role or a replacement of Boseman in the grand scheme, as “no one could ever do that.”
“Nor is this calling for the prevention of other characters to take up themantle of Black Panther like Shurior anyone else,” it continues. “This petition is merely asking to continue the portrayal of T’Challa in the MCU. #RecastTChalla is a call to fulfill the role that Chadwick Boseman worked so hard for the world to see.”
“T’Challa’s character was only scratching the surface with his story in the MCU, and there is so much more left to tell,” the petition also says.
Feige, 47, announced in December that Boseman’s role ofKing T’Challa would not be recastfollowing his death, and the sequel would instead focus on the fictional kingdom of Wakanda.
“I know Chadwouldn’t have wanted us to stop,” Coogler, 34, recently toldThe Hollywood Reporter. “He was somebody who was so about the collective.Black Panther, that was his movie. He was hired to play that role before anybody else was even thought of, before I was hired, before any of the actresses were hired.”
Lupita Nyong’o, Chadwick Boseman and Danai Gurira inBlack Panther.Marvel
RELATED VIDEO: Chadwick Boseman, Star ofBlack Panther, Dies at 43 After 4-Year Cancer Battle
Angela Bassett— who played T’Challa’s mother, Wakandan Queen Ramonda, in the 2018 Marvel film — spoke withEntertainment Tonightin January about the “interesting” decision not to recast Boseman.
“I had not thought about that idea, but of course it is Wakanda and they are, in terms of technology, they are so far ahead of the rest of the world that they would be able to bring some of that,” said Bassett, 62, of a potential CGI reimagining of T’Challa, which Executive Producer Victoria Alonsoalso shot down in November.
She went on to call the death of Boseman “a tremendous loss,” adding that “Kevin and the Marvel universe and Ryan, the director, the writer from before, they are committed to telling [a story] and equally as much as we can, equally planned.”
As of Wednesday morning, the Change.org petition had garnered over 4,000 signatures.
Black Panther IIis scheduled for release on July 8, 2022.
source: people.com
