If you don't like comic books or superhero movies, you've probably seen the #RecastTChalla trend on social media. Many fans feel that T'Challa, the character made famous by the late Chadwick Boseman in Black Panther, should live on in the universe through another actor. The King of Wakanda will not be recast in the Black Panther sequel or in any other project that takes place in the main Earth-616 universe of the company.
The #RecastTChalla movement did not begin in July after the trailer for the movie was released. Most of the people who use the # are not going to boycott the movie. The story is almost two years old. Like most viral campaigns, it has turned into a highly-contested debate that threatens to splinter the Black Panther fan base.
To understand how we got here, we need to explore the origins of the character and the movie.
A young fan and a "Black Panther" cosplayer pose in Nairobi, Kenya. Credit: Getty Images/AFP/TONY KARUMBA
Stan Lee and Jack Kirby created a comic book to appeal to Black readers. Black panther was the first black superhero in a mainstream publication. The character had only a supporting role in the comic books.
Christopher Priest wrote the Black Panther comic book over two decades ago. The Dora Milaje, Okoye, and Princess Shuri were introduced by Priest. Other writers built upon Wakanda's world building. When Black Panther and Boseman's casting was announced, fans had no hope of seeing T'Challa on the big screen.
The Black Panther film made over a billion dollars at the box office in just four years. It was a dream come true for a lot of comic book fans, but a lot of the movie goers had never read a comic book in their lives. We've never seen a Black-led science-fiction film with the magnitude, budget, or execution that is capable of being produced by the company. Black Panther went on to win three Oscars, making it the first comic book movie to win an Oscar. Boseman died of colon cancer two months after principal photography began on the sequel.
Boseman was a personal friend of DJ BenHAMEEN and he still has difficulty discussing the actor's passing. BenHameen said that they were all hurt by the incident. I thought they'd probably change their minds because they know how capitalism works.
Fans expressed their grief for Boseman on social media. The actor hid his illness for a long time. Others speculated about who would take over the mantle of Black Panther or what the storyline would be after the death of our hero.
He died in 2020 and the #RecastTChalla was quietly making the rounds on social media. A Change.org petition was created by Ken Ovie, who was worried about the online rumors. Ovie got over 5000 signatures by the beginning of the year.
Fans should be given time to mourn since the campaign was inconsiderate to the cast and Boseman's family. Frankey Smith, a media personality and Black Panther fan, said he remembers seeing the petition after the death of Boseman. I didn't think it was very nice.
It was a challenge for Boseman and his friend.
The sequel shoot was halted in November of 2020 due to media allegations that the actress wouldn't get the vaccine.
Ryan Coogler and Kevin Feige at the Los Angeles premiere of "Black Panther" Credit: Getty Images/Jesse Grant
The #RecastTChalla was started after Kevin Feige said that T'Challa wouldn't be in the sequel. The outcry spawned several more Change.org petitions, including one created by a film critic. It has over 62,500 signatures. Noisette said that he was more shocked by the lack of conditions. Do you mean that we're never going to get T'Challa again?
Boseman had given many interviews and Noisette had to research every one. Taking time to get a glimpse of what the actor might have wanted, he turned to a conversation Boseman had with another man. It wasChadwick who wanted us to see T'Challa the same way he wanted us to see Thurgood Marshall. It doesn't build a legacy to end the portrayal of T'Challa with someone else. When you stop telling their story, it's over. He wasn't the only one who weighed in.
Fans against the petition said that they should respect the wishes of the cast, especially since T'Challa could be in a future film. That sealed the deal for me because I don't believe in telling creators what to do with their creations.
Even though Moore stated in an episode of "The Ringer-Verse" that the character wouldn't be seen in a live-action film, many people still maintained that sentiment. The #RecastTChalla was in the top of the list. The campaign received the support of the Boseman brothers in an interview.
After that, Bristol decided to change her mind. Bristol said that she thought the character should be changed. She dedicated the entire video to the actors that she thought could play the part.
Letitia Wright as Shuri in "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" Credit: Marvel
A multiverse trope is used by comic books to bring back characters. We could see the first Black character in an alternate universe like the one in "What If...," which earned Boseman a posthumous Emmy nomination. Shuri is one of the people who have worn the Black Panther suit in the comic books. Many of the King's suits were designed by her.
We don't have enough black superhero characters. The MCU isn't trying to use the same characters that have been used for 30 years. Sam Wilson became the new Captain America and Riri Williams became the new Iron Man, as examples of how new characters are given a chance to try on older superhero identities. The mantle should keep going.
This is not acceptable to noisette. Shrinking out the character doesn't mean growth. Black representation on the screen should not be done via substitution. White characters are constantly re-cast and remain relevant. Batman and Barry Allen are examples of recent examples. Spider-Man films have had multiple actors in them.
It wasn't long before #RecastTChalla went viral again in July after the black panther trailer dropped Images of Boseman featured in the trailer prompted emotional responses from some and criticism from others who felt that they were making money from Boseman's death. Boseman's image is used in the trailer, but I don't think it's right. He is in the film. His image is being used to sell tickets.
There are other images from the trailer that attracted attention. The clip of a mysterious character in the Black Panther suit caused social media to go into a tailspin. Most people assumed that Shuri, Okoye, Nakia, or even Queen Ramonda might be T'Challa's replacement. The voices of protest grew louder when they realized that Black men were being erased from the franchise.
The defacto leader of the #RecastTChalla campaign has recently spoken out against the pointed bias towards Black women that has grown across platforms using the #. Noisette condemned bigotry, negativity, sexism, racism and all of that. The simplest thing I can say is to read the petition and not judge it on the basis of someone you saw on the internet.
Florence Kasumba as Ayo, Angela Bassett as Ramonda, and Danai Gurira as Okoye in Marvel Studios' "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever." Credit: Marvel
Anti-woman sentiment is the norm in genre fandoms. Fans commented about the women in the franchise before Boseman died. After the first Black Panther movie, I began to see people complain about how weak the King was because he was relying on women. There is something about this campaign that makes people feel comfortable.
Many of his supporters maintain that noisette's fans don't hate women. It's important for us to see a strong Black man like T'Challa, who supports and defends Black women. The idea of black women being able to make their own decisions is supported by casting. It would be great to see both T'Challa and Shuri be Black Panther at the same time.
Two years ago the #RecastTchalla movement looked a lot different. The #NoTChallaNoTickets campaign called for a complete boycott of the movie. Smith didn't like the idea of using the #. If the sequel doesn't perform well, how will they be able to get TChalla to change his mind?
I don't promote a boycott. Noisette said that she is still a fan of the black panther. There are Black people behind and in front of the camera in Black Panther, which is one of the tenets of our petition.
When they entered the discussion, the fan opinions on the debate depended on. There are at least 15 different "Recast T'Challa" campaigns on Change.org. Those who took the time to read his FAQ may have a different perspective than those who only follow the #.
Bristol didn't know about the #NoTChallaNoTicket or the Change.org petition before now. It is an entire movement. I will watch the movie, but I would like to see the role changed in the future.
Social media is powered by extremes and the #RecastTChalla is no exception. Most fans seem to lie somewhere in the middle of the controversy, hoping to see T'Challa onscreen but disagreeing over how, when, and where it should happen. The side effect of the topic is that fans have given a powerful marketing campaign to the company. The movie will break records again if it doesn't break the fans.
"Is that we all want Chadwick back, but that's not going to happen?" said BenHAMEEN.
Everyone can agree on that.
Black Panther is opening in theaters in November.
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