Ryan Coogler has shared new details about his initial vision for the Ryan Coogler Black Panther sequel, revealing how different Black Panther: Wakanda Forever might have been had Chadwick Boseman been able to reprise his role as T’Challa. Before Boseman’s untimely passing, the cast and production were set to follow a unique storyline unlike the one audiences eventually saw.
The film, which ultimately became a meditation on grief and legacy, originally began development while Chadwick Boseman was still alive. Plans were in motion for a returning T’Challa at the center of the story, and fans had not previously learned much about this alternate approach due to Coogler’s busy schedule and the sensitive circumstances surrounding the film’s production.
A Glimpse Into Coogler’s Abandoned Draft
During a recent appearance on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, Coogler provided a rare look at what the sequel could have been. The director discussed how his original draft centered on T’Challa as a father, focusing on an important relationship with his young son. The central thread in this version was a Wakandan tradition known as the ‘Ritual of Eight.’
“It was like a 180-page draft chock-full of them. The big thing about the script was this thing called the ‘Ritual of Eight,’ where when a prince is eight years old, he has to go spend eight days in the bush with his father and amongst them, and amongst those eight days, they have to go into the bush without any tools. The prince has to listen to everything that’s asked of him by his father. But the rule is that for those eight days, the prince can ask the father any question, and the father has to answer.”
— Ryan Coogler, Director
While T’Challa and his son embarked on this demanding and spiritual journey, the script introduced unexpected challenges. The antagonist Namor attacks Wakanda during the ritual, creating a tension-filled scenario where tradition and survival intersect.
“During the course of those eight days, Namor launches an attack. He had to deal with somebody who was like insanely dangerous, but because of this ritual, his son had to be like joined at his hip the whole time.”
— Ryan Coogler, Director
The drama of balancing royal duty, personal connection, and leadership amidst crisis would have been at the heart of this discarded version of the sequel. This family-focused narrative was a departure from the film that was ultimately released, which shifted its lens to the women of Wakanda following Boseman’s passing.
“He was engaging in negotiations, fights, and his son had to be right there, or he’d have to violate this ritual, which had never been broken. That was what the movie was. [With Black Panther: Wakanda Forever], I got a chance to make a movie about women. I love that movie so much.”
— Ryan Coogler, Director
The Impact of the Unused Sequel Vision
Ryan Coogler’s original script offers a poignant what-if scenario for Black Panther fans who have wondered how the Ryan Coogler Black Panther sequel might have unfolded with T’Challa at its center. The unreleased story, emphasizing the relationship between father and son during the intense Ritual of Eight, underscores how profoundly the film’s direction changed after Chadwick Boseman’s death.
Although this narrative never made it to the screen, there is interest in seeing Coogler’s concept adapted elsewhere, perhaps in graphic novel form. As Black Panther 3 moves forward at Marvel Studios, audiences remain eager for updates and future stories set in the world of Wakanda.
The legacy of Chadwick Boseman and Ryan Coogler’s creative vision continues to shape the franchise, ensuring that the impact of both the actor and the evolving storylines resonate with fans. The original ideas behind Black Panther: Wakanda Forever serve as a testament to the complex journeys that shape superhero stories, both on the screen and behind the scenes.
