Ryan Coogler talks filming 'Black Panther 2' without Chadwick Boseman
Coogler said continuing without Boseman is "the hardest thing I've had to do."
They say the show must go on, but that doesn't mean it's easy to do -- especially for "Black Panther 2" director Ryan Coogler.
While appearing on the "Jemele Hill is Unbothered" podcast, the 34-year-old opened up about what its been like working on pre-production of the sequel without its leading man, Chadwick Boseman, the Black Panther himself. "Black Panther 2" is expected to begin filming this summer.
"One thing that I've learned in my short or long time on this Earth is that it's very difficult to have perspective on something while you're going through it," he said on the episode, which dropped earlier this week. "This is one of the more profound things that I've gone through in my life, having to be a part of keeping this project going without this particular person who is like the glue who held it together."
"I'm trying to find a work-life balance. But I'm not there yet, so this is without a question the hardest thing I've had to do in my professional life," he said.
While moving on without the film's star has been a challenge, Coogler added that the silver lining is that he got to spend time with Boseman working on the 2018 blockbuster.
"You spend your life hearing about people like him," he explained. "For this individual, who is an ancestor now, I was there for it. It's such an incredible privilege that fills you up as much as it knocks you out. So often as Black people, we have to pick up the pieces after loss."
Boseman died of cancer at 43 last August. Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige confirmed that the role of King T'Challa will not be recast in the highly anticipated sequel, nor will a CGI version of Boseman be used.
Disney is the parent company of Marvel as well as ABC News and "Good Morning America."
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