(Photo: Disney)

What will the future of the “Black Panther” franchise?

The passing of Chadwick Boseman has crushed the hearts of many who appreciated his work and looked up to him as a hero. The late actor passed away on August 28 after battling cancer for four years.

Boseman’s passing has led many—fans and industry insiders included—to question the “Black Panther Sequel.” Many fans have taken to social media to share that the role of King T’Challa should not be recast.

The script for “Black Panther 2” is already in the works. Ryan Coogler, who penned and directed the first film and will helm the sequel as well. It was after the news of Boseman that Coogler confirmed that he had been working on the script for “Black Panther 2.”

“I spent the last year preparing, imagining and writing words for him to say, that we weren’t destined to see,” Coogler wrote after Boseman’s death. “It leaves me broken knowing that I won’t be able to watch another close-up of him in the monitor again or walk up to him and ask for another take.”

Currently, Disney is processing the grief of losing a beloved actor and Marvel hero, but the studio is also facing the realities of moving forward. According to sources, Disney has paused the next steps on making the sequel.

The first film in the franchise was a massive hit for Marvel; it was the first Marvel Cinematic Universe film to put a Black character front and center in the story. More than that, Boseman delivered a stunning performance that inspired many Black people and youth.

The actor previously debuted as T’Challa/Black Panther in the “Captain America: Civil War”, which led up to Black Panther and the last two Avengers movies. Boseman also starred in the final two Avengers movies as well.

Details and plans about the Black Panther sequel may be on the down-low right now, but the studios will eventually have to address the matter. There are few options available for explaining the disappearance of T’Challa from the MCU.

The most unpopular option is to replace Boseman with another actor who would play T’Challa. The other option is simpler and one that many people are rallying for. T’Challa’s sister Shuri, played by Letitia Wright, is next in line to get take on the Black Panther mantle, which is what happens in the comics.