The Next Black Panther, it seems to soon to be talking about this even in 2022, one of the most popular action stars in the entire world was taken from us far too soon, and it seems as though everyone was affected by the loss of Chadwick Boseman. Boseman was the man who breathed life into the character of Black Panther, doing so while secretly suffering from cancer. He made it a point to visit sick kids at St. Judes Children’s Hospital, while also giving black children a role model to look up to, cementing himself as a hero in real life just as much as on screen.
No one will ever replace Chadwick Boseman in any capacity, but it almost seems criminal to rob the world of Black Panther after all of his hard work to make the character a success. While only his family knows for sure, there is a solid chance that Boseman would have wanted his legacy and T’Challa to continue to inspire people after his passing, and there is now a huge #RecastTChalla movement on social media campaigning for his legacy to continue!
So here are a few options as to who could continue inspiring future generations in his stead and be The Next Black Panther
John David Washington
Embed from Getty ImagesJohn David Washington may not be as physically imposing as Chadwick Boseman was, but he is still one of the most popular actors in Hollywood right now. After the critical successes of BlaKkKlansman and Tenet, Washington is primed and ready for a superhero role, with Black Panther being an excellent fit. There will never be any replacement that can live up to Boseman’s rendition of the character, but Washington is a good enough actor to create his own legacy, and give the fans a Black Panther that would make his predecessor proud.
David Oyelowo
Embed from Getty ImagesBlack Panther is widely regarded as an action role in a superhero movie, but that is not entirely the case. The character of T’Challa is dense with layers of emotion and internal conflicts, making him more suited for a dramatic actor. David Oyelowo may not be too physically in shape, but his acting prowess is respected the world over, making him a viable candidate to bring the complexities of The Next Black Panther to life.
Mehcad Brooks
Embed from Getty ImagesAlthough he is known primarily as a television actor, Mehcad Brooks makes up for that with his physicality. He is a giant man with a body that looks as though it was drawn by Rob Liefeld, and even though he does not look exactly like classic T’Challa, it may work for the newest entry of the King of Wakanda.
Kid Cudi
Embed from Getty ImagesKid Cudi is known largely due to his music career, but he has made the transition to acting almost completely. Appearing in one of the best movies of this year- Bill & Ted Face the Music– Cudi has a handful of excellent credits to put to his name, while also being in tremendous shape. Black Panther might not be the first person who comes to mind when you think of Kid Cudi, but he is at least a unique choice, and there are much worse options than the rapper-turned-actor.
Aldis Hodge
Embed from Getty ImagesAldis Hodge is someone who has a wealth of acting credits to his name, and yet not a lot of people know who he is. Despite his lack of familiarity, Hodge has all of the physicalities and acting prowess that it takes to become Black Panther, and Marvel has a propensity to hire actors who are not exactly A-list. Could he surprise us and become the next black panther
Omari Hardwick
Embed from Getty ImagesPower is one of the most popular shows on premium cable, with the face and star of the show being Omari Hardwick. Hardwick has shown through his role as James “Ghost” St. Patrick alone that he has an immense acting range, and despite being in his late 40s, he still possesses the look and body for a superhero like Black Panther.
Michael Ealy
Embed from Getty ImagesMichael Ealy has been a fan favorite actor for years, endearing sci-fi fans and comedy aficionados alike with his characters in Almost Human and Think Like a Man. Ealy has a signature acting style that conveys an intense amount of humanity and emotion through his eyes and facial expressions alone, making him an excellent option to portray the sincerity of T’Challa. While he is a bit older and does not look anything like Chadwick Boseman, he is more than capable of making the role his own, and could give a performance as Black Panther that would make his predecessor proud.
Isaiah Mustafa
Embed from Getty ImagesNo matter how you feel about the Old Spice commercials, the fact remains that Isaiah Mustafa has proved himself as an actor at this point in his career. Between Shadowhunters and It Chapter Two, Mustafa has exhibited his potential as an action star, which has gone largely untapped to date. Being a 6’4″, former wide receiver for the Seattle Seahawks doesn’t hurt his chances of becoming The Next Black Panther either, making Mustafa the full package for the most popular superhero in the world right now.
Edi Gathegi
Embed from Getty ImagesEdi Gathegi is by far the least popular actor on this list, but he already has experience as a Marvel superhero. Playing Darwin in X-Men: First Class was the biggest role of Gathegis’s career, and his character’s death in the film instantly endeared him to Marvel fans. While he has very little name recognition, neither did Chris Evans or Tom Holland before joining the MCU, and Edi could surprise everyone with his performance as T’Challa.
Letitia Wright
Embed from Getty ImagesIn all honesty, the route that everyone wants Marvel to take is for Shuri to become The Next Black Panther. While it would be sad to lose the character of T’Challa, and Shuri has expressed disinterest in becoming Black Panther in the first film, the natural and most logical direction to take would be for Letitia Wright to take up Chadwick Boseman’s mantle. Little girls everywhere already look up to Princess Shuri, so giving her a stand-alone feature film would undoubtedly be both a critical and box office success.