Black Panther Makes a Strong Case for Recasting in the Wake of Chadwick’s Death.

“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” deftly finishes the difficult task to continue the franchise without its star, Chadwick. He is also sensitively acknowledged for killing King T’Challa. The Marvel blockbuster makes the case for casting when an actor dies or chooses to move on. This once-common practice has been largely avoided. Instead, digital wizardry and awkwardly rewriting storylines have replaced it.

The shift is a way to make audiences feel better, to save them from the emotional leap of accepting a new performer instead of their favorite or familiar. It’s almost offensive to treat fans as though they can’t handle the fantasy aspects of favorite stories or adapt to new actors who are acting.

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