“Black Panther,” based on the pioneering Marvel Comics character that first appeared in 1966, generated $1.35 billion in box-office sales, three Academy Awards and a best picture Oscar nomination, and acclaim for its titular star, who died on Aug. 28. Marvel was planning to begin production of “Black Panther 2” in March, according to the Hollywood Reporter, for a scheduled May 6, 2022, release.
The 2018 film broke new ground with its predominantly Black cast, helmed by a Black director. Boseman played the character of King T’Challa, who presides over the futuristic African nation of Wakanda. Produced with a $200 million budget, it was praised for its diversity, after years of criticism about the lack of actors and filmmakers of color in Hollywood.
“Black Panther” also hit theaters at a time of rising U.S. racial tension. President Donald Trump had recently questioned why the United States would want to have immigrants from Haiti and African nations, referring to some as “shithole countries.” The previous August, he had said"both sides" were to blame for violence between white nationalists and counterprotesters at a rally in Charlottesville, Virginia.