Will Chadwick Boseman Extend His MCU Contract Following ‘Black Panther 2?’
Chadwick Boseman is well-known for playing the combat-ready, intelligent King of Wakanda in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Boseman has thus far appeared in 4 MCU movies — his Black Panther standalone installment, Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War, and Avengers: Endgame.
As GamesRadar notes, the actor has a five-film contract with Marvel Studios. Meaning, the studio must be planning to extend his contract, offer him money for an extra appearance following Black Panther 2, or terminate his narrative. Chadwick Boseman signed a five-picture deal about five years ago. Thus, something could have changed, or something could be in the works for the actor.
The question is: will Chadwick Boseman stay on with Marvel following Black Panther 2. Two narrative trajectories seem equally probable given what we know about the character, MCU trends, and recent insider information. So, let’s dive into the two options — one which involves Chadwick Boseman sticking around, and one which does not.
Black Panther could stick around following Storm’s introduction into the MCU
As Marvel insider Mikey Sutton noted a while back, Storm may be one of the first X-Men to join the MCU in Black Panther 2. Storm and Black Panther boast quite the romantic history — they go on to seal the deal with marriage and fight side-by-side before divorcing later in the comics.
Storm and Black Panther even go on to have children together in the comics. Meaning, if the filmic landscape plans to adhere — or at least loosely stick to the canonical material — Black Panther will need more than a single movie to develop his relationship with Storm, and his subsequent connection to the X-Men.
So, if Kevin Feige and Co. wish to go down this path, they will likely extend Boseman’s contract, or simply begin paying him on a film-by-film basis, as has been the case with other MCU stars following their contractual obligations. However, if Storm doesn’t appear, Shuri could take over the responsibilities as Black Panther.
What if Shuri becomes the new Black Panther in the MCU?
If Black Panther 2 does not introduce Storm, there will be enough time to turn Shuri into Black Panther, leaving T’Chall’s younger sister to follow in his footsteps. In the comics, Shuri undergoes the trials to become Black Panther following extensive martial arts training.
If Shuri becomes the next Black Panther, Chadwick Boseman could exit the franchise in the second installment, leaving T’Challa’s little sister to lead the way. Such a plotline would presumably function as a vital ingredient in an A-Force mash-up featuring Captain Marvel, Jane Foster’s Thor, and She-Hulk.
Chadwick Boseman may stick around if those behind the movies use his relationship with Storm to open the gateway to multiple other mutants. However, if this plotline does not come to fruition (and T’Challa begins to train his younger sister), Boseman could easily leave the MCU without his departure feeling rushed or unfounded. All remains to be seen when Black Panther 2 hits the silver screen.
