Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’s Ryan Coogler nearly quit directing after Chadwick Boseman died

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever director Ryan Coogler has revealed in a new interview that he nearly stepped away from filmmaking after the death of actor Chadwick Boseman.

"I was at a point when I was like, 'I'm walking away from this business,'" Coogler told Entertainment Weekly. "I didn't know if I could make another movie period, [let alone] another Black Panther movie, because it hurt a lot. I was like, 'Man, how could I open myself up to feeling like this again?'"

Coogler, who has also directed Fruitvale Station and Creed, instead felt empowered by memories of his talks with Boseman, who played T’Challa in the MCU until his death in August 2020 at the age of 43.

"I was poring over a lot of our conversations that we had, towards what I realized was the end of his life. I decided that it made more sense to keep going," Coogler said.

That feeling of raw emotion and grief will also seep into the upcoming Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, which is set for release on November 11.

"The movie is very much about how you move forward while dealing with a tragic loss," Marvel Studios producer Nate Moore said, hinting at the in-universe death of Boseman’s T’Challa impacting the nation of Wakanda and the world beyond it. "All of the characters, both old and new, are dealing with how loss can affect your actions in ways that are emotional and surprising."

The new trailer for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, featuring Ironheart in her suit, a look at the next Black Panther, and… Namor’s ankle wings, has just landed. For more on what else is coming to the MCU, here are the upcoming Marvel movies and shows heading our way over the next few years.