Kevin Feige Reflects on His Final Meeting With Chadwick Boseman
The loss of Chadwick Boseman in 2020 was a devastating moment for fans and the filmmakers who worked closely with him at Marvel Studios. Boseman’s performance as T’Challa in Black Panther helped turn the character into one of the most beloved heroes in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
During a recent appearance at USC’s School of Cinematic Arts, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige shared an emotional memory about the last time he spoke with the actor.
The discussion took place during a celebration for the newly established Kevin Feige Division of Film & Television Production. Feige appeared alongside Black Panther director Ryan Coogler and Deadpool & Wolverine director Shawn Levy, where the conversation eventually turned toward Boseman and the impact he had on the MCU.
Feige recalled that during their final meeting, Boseman was excited about bringing a lighter and more playful energy to the next Black Panther film.
The actor had recently explored a different side of T’Challa through the Star-Lord variant in Marvel’s animated series What If...?, and he was interested in carrying some of that fun spirit into the sequel that would later become Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
“We will be back in there, that was always my expectation,” Feige said, admitting it's become easy to take those he works with for granted. “So the need to set a dinner or a lunch to say hi, I just never do. Because we’re busy and because we’re going to have a next time.”
Sadly, that moment never came. Boseman passed away later that year after a private battle with cancer, something very few people knew about at the time.
Feige reflected on how that realization hit him once he understood there wouldn’t be another opportunity to catch up.
“And that hit me like a ton of bricks when I realized that there wasn’t going to be a next time.”
Marvel Studios chose not to recast T’Challa following Boseman’s passing, instead crafting Black Panther: Wakanda Forever as both a sequel and a tribute to the actor who helped shape the character’s legacy.
Even years later, Boseman’s presence is still deeply felt throughout the MCU, and the impact he had on the people who worked with him continues to resonate across Marvel Studios.