James Gunn remembersChadwick Bosemanon the anniversary of his death. The actor entered theMarvel Cinematic Universewith a fan-favorite turn as T’Challa inCaptain America: Civil War. After that, Boseman would leadBlack Panther, which turned into a major cultural event, and appear in two Avengers movies. Sadly, Boseman passed away on June 16, 2025, after a private four-year battle with colon cancer.
On Instagram,DC Studios co-CEOJames Gunnshared a heartfelt tribute to the MCU’s Black Panther, Chadwick Boseman, on the fourth anniversary of his death.
Gunn posted two photos of Boseman, with the actor dressed as Black Panther and holding a Rocket Raccoon reference prop in the first, and appearing next to Gunn andGuardians of the Galaxyactor Chris Pratt, while Gunn holds an award in the second. Boseman was part of some of theMCU’s best movies, and the actor’s impact on the franchise as Black Panther will continue to be felt infuture MCU films.
Black Panther 3: Cast, Story & Everything We Know
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever sets up several plot threads for Black Panther 3, but no official announcement has been made by Marvel Studios so far.
How Chadwick Boseman’s Legacy As Black Panther Lives On In The MCU
T’Challa’s Presence Is Felt In The MCU
After Boseman’s tragic passing, Marvel Studios chose not to recast T’Challa. Instead, the character had an emotional off-screen death at the start ofBlack Panther: Wakanda Forever. T’Challa’s death informed a lot of the plot and emotions of the characters for the rest of the movie. Letitia Wright’s Shuri, T’Challa’s sister, was chosen to serve as the MCU’s new Black Panther. After overcoming her grief, Shuri was able to defeat Namor and save Wakanda.
Shuri might not be the MCU’s only Black Panther in the future. The reason for that isBlack Panther: Wakanda Forever’s mid-credits sceneintroduced his perfect MCU replacement. Shuri discovered that T’Challa had a son with Lupita Nyong’o’s Nakia, Toussaint. The young boy was hidden from the world, as T’Challa and Nakia did not think he should be revealed just yet. Toussaint is his Haitian name, with his Wakandan name being T’Challa, just like his father.
Marvel can now recast T’Challa without really recasting Boseman’s character. Through time travel or some other plot that could age him up, Toussaint/T’Challa could become the MCU’s Black Panther in a future movie. This way, the MCU could essentially explore all the many adventures T’Challa still could have in the shared universe while keepingChadwick Boseman’s version of the character untouched. Better yet, he would be a direct influence on the new T’Challa and would always be remembered by the hero.
Black Panther
Cast
Black Panther follows King T’Challa as he returns to Wakanda to assume the throne of the technologically advanced African nation. Faced with internal and external challenges, T’Challa dons the Black Panther mantle, uniting with allies to protect Wakanda from potential global conflict.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever explores the efforts of Queen Ramonda, Shuri, M’Baku, Okoye, and the Dora Milaje as they strive to safeguard Wakanda from external threats following King T’Challa’s passing. Collaborating with allies like War Dog Nakia and Everett Ross, they seek to shape the nation’s future.
