Following the recent rumor that Marvel Studios might be planning to recast T'Challa in the MCU, Comic Book put together a list of actors who could take over the role of the king of Wakanda following the untimely death of Chadwick Boseman.
via: Comic Book
After Boseman passed away, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever confirmed that T'Challa had also died. Shuri inherited the mantle and the sequel ended by revealing the hero secretly had a son with Nakia, a young boy also named T'Challa.
While Avengers: Secret Wars' Black Panther may be a Variant, we think Toussaint is going to be aged up before picking up where his father left off in the Mutant Saga. With all that in mind, we're now taking a look at the actors who could take over this role in the MCU.
6. Aldis Hodge
Aldis Hodge is no stranger to superhero fare after lending his voice to John Stewart in animation and playing Hawkman in the ill-fated Black Adam. The Cross star deserves another shot at the genre, and we think he could do something exciting with Black Panther.
The actor is physically imposing and would likely be a T'Challa with more of an edge. He needs to be a King as well and we think Hodge is talented enough to showcase that side of the hero just as effectively.
Hodge would be a well-received choice to bring either a T'Challa Variant or an adult version of the boy we first met in Wakanda Forever to life on screen. However, there are still plenty of other exciting possibilities...
5. Jovan Adepo
Jovan Adepo has racked up some impressive credits, including Fences, Mother!, Babylon, and His Three Daughters. On television, you'll have likely seen him in The Leftovers, Jack Ryan, When They See Us, and 3 Body Problem.
However, the role that put him on our map was Hooded Justice in Watchmen; the series earned Adepo an Emmy nomination, so make no mistake about it, he's a powerhouse talent.
We've hopefully sold you on him enough to see why he'd be a worthy successor to the late, great Chadwick Boseman. Adepo never fails to impress on screen and feels like someone who could make T'Challa his own either as a Variant or son of the original.
4. John David Washington
Whether we're talking about his breakthrough role in Spike Lee's BlacKkKlansman or big-budget fare like The Creator and Tenet, John David Washington has proven himself one of Hollywood's most impressive rising stars.
That's not only surprising given who his father is - funnily enough, Denzel Washinton played a key role in Boseman's acting career - but John is undeniably talented in his own right.
If anyone can handle the pressure that comes with doing right by Black Panther, it's surely Washington. Plus, with Denzel already cast in Black Panther 3, seeing the father and son share the screen in the MCU would be an added bonus.
3. John Boyega
Lucasfilm did not do right by John Boyega in the Star Wars sequel trilogy and the actor has since put in a lot of work to shake off Finn. Honestly, he's been hugely successful too, a point we're sure you'll agree with if you've seen The Woman King and They Cloned Tyrone.
Boyega as the adult T'Challa who has a major chip on his shoulder and a hardened attitude is what we'd like to see from his potential MCU debut.
Initially, we're sure this would be a somewhat divisive casting decision on Marvel Studios' part. Boyega proving the doubters wrong is a given but whether he'd be open to joining another huge franchise is another matter altogether, particularly after his Star Wars experience.
2. Kelvin Harrison Jr.
Kelvin Harrison Jr. has received widespread acclaim for his work; after making a name for himself with It Comes at Night, the actor has since starred in The Trial of the Chicago 7, Cyrano, Elvis, Chevalier, and Mufasa: The Lion King.
The actor's previous roles have proven to us that he could play King T'Challa with ease, while a big budget action role feels like the logical next step for his career. Why not throw him into the deep end with Black Panther?
Anyone who takes over this role - whether it's as a Variant or Toussaint - is going to face comparisons to Boseman. Harrison Jr. is a strong enough talent to handle that and make the character his own in a way we're sure would resonate with fans.
1. Michael B. Jordan
Okay, let us explain. Michael B. Jordan first played Erik Killmonger - T'Challa's cousin - in 2018's Black Panther. He died in that movie but remains one of the MCU's best-written villains and stole the show with an Ancestral Plane cameo in Wakanda Forever.
Many fans initially hoped that Killmonger would be revealed as having survived, redeeming himself by becoming the new Black Panther. The moment has passed for that, but there's nothing to stop Jordan playing a T'Challa Variant in Avengers: Secret Wars and beyond.
Provided this is all properly explained, it wouldn't confuse people and magic always happens when filmmaker Ryan Coogler and Jordan work together. How better to honour Boseman's legacy than reuniting them for an all-new T'Challa story?
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I know some feel a way about a T'Challa recast, but the character is way too important not to bring in a new actor. At first I was for them going with a T'Challa Jr. angle, but I think they should pick a T'Challa from the multiverse.
YouTuber @She_DreadzMe revealed that they reached out to some industry contacts, and was told that John Boyega (the Star Wars sequel trilogy), Damson Idris (Snowfall, Swarm) and David Oyelowo (Selma, Silo) all turned down the opportunity to suit-up as the MCU's new Black Panther.
Out of those three I could see Damson taking over the role, because I've been hearing his name floating around for a while. Let's not forget he almost nabbed the role of John Stewart in the Lanterns series before Aaron Pierre ended up getting it. However, if I were a casting director on Black Panther 3, my choice would be Aldis Hodge.
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