Black Panther 2 Expected to Start Filming June 2021

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Black Panther 2 Expected to Start Filming June 2021

Black Panther 2, the sequel to the highly successful MCU film Black Panther, is reportedly expected to start filming in June 2021.

According to insider reports, Black Panther 2 is set to start shooting it's principal photography in June 2021. This comes after previous reports stated that filming would begin in July 2021. The titular hero, also known as the Wakanda's King T'Challa, was last seen on the big screen fighting alongside fellow MCU superheroes in 2019's Avengers: Endgame. The character first appeared in the MCU during 2016's Captain America: Civil War and was played by Chadwick Boseman, who sadly passed away earlier this year.

After his brief appearance in the third Captain America film, 2018's Black Panther saw T'Challa take on the mantle of king and hero, which leads to his radical cousin N'Jadaka, the super villain Killmonger, staging a coup and using his power over the throne to distribute Wakanda's futuristic technology with the goal of starting a revolution. The film went on to become one of the most popular MCU features, garnering over $1.3 billion at the box office and became the most financially successful film ever directed by an African American. When a sequel was announced in late 2018, a release date of May 6, 2022 was set, which has been recently moved to July 2022. MCU producer Kevin Feige has confirmed that Boseman will not be recast for Black Panther 2, after the actor's untimely death from colon cancer in August.

Now, The Wrap reports that Black Panther 2 is set to begin filming in June 2021, just over half a year away from now. Black Panther director Ryan Coogler is set to return along with key supporting cast members, for an Atlanta, GA shoot that will last up to six months. The sequel is aiming for a theatrical release on July 18, 2022.

With Boseman's tragic passing, it's hard to say what story Black Panther 2 will tell. Marvel and Disney have a kept tight-lipped on what the story might entail, despite a recent report of Narcos: Mexico's Tenoch Huerta being cast in a villain role, which has set speculation among the fandom alight. After the many new project announcements during Disney's investor day last week, it seems that the MCU is about to become even more developed, and hopefully answer questions as to where the main heroes have been since the cataclysmic events of Avengers: Endgame. However, Boseman's passing poses a big challenge for the studio, in losing a main star and cultural icon who was undoubtedly poised for many more intertwining stories over the coming years. What's even more questionable is whether Black Panther 2 will even see a theatrical release in 2022, due to both the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and rising prominence of Disney's own streaming site, Disney+. Big budget film shoots are under strict COVID guidelines right now, so it is hoped that Black Panther 2's production can run smoothly and safely by the time cameras roll next June.

Black Panther 2 seems to still be on track for its 2022 release date with the shooting scheduled and production underway. Before the sequel, however, a lot of MCU movies and shows are coming, including the much delayed Black Widow and the untitled Tom Holland Spider-Man 3, set to reveal many new developments and characters before fans return to Wakanda. Boseman was a major contributing factor to the success of the first film, so when Black Panther 2 filming starts, it will be very intriguing to see how his story is approached.