What's next for ‘Black Panther 2’ after Chadwick Boseman's death?

'Black Panther' generated US$1.35bil in box office sales, three Academy Awards and a best picture Oscar nomination. Photo: Handout

Soon after learning that Black Panther star Chadwick Boseman had died at age 43, fans urged Marvel Studios not to recast the role, setting up a dilemma for the studio planning a sequel to Hollywood's first major superhero film with a predominantly Black cast.

Writers, academics and activists – speaking to Reuters about the film’s cultural impact and Boseman’s performance – believe Marvel and its parent company, Walt Disney Co, should honour Boseman’s legacy with a storyline that anoints a new Black Panther from the film’s existing cast or elsewhere in the Marvel Universe.