Variety is reporting that acclaimed actor Daniel Kaluuya will not be returning to his Black Panther role in the upcoming sequel, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
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Rotten Tomatoes Awards Editor Jacqueline Coley first tweeted the news, stating that the reasoning behind his absence in the Black Panther sequel was because of scheduling conflicts between that and the upcoming Jordan Peele film Nope.
Kaluuya had a substantial role in Black Panther, as he played W’Kabi, the head of security for the Border Tribe and a close friend of King T’Challa.
You can read Coley’s full tweet below:
BREAKING NEWS: Fresh from my NOPE interview with Daniel Kaluuya he did not reprise his role in #BlackPanther2 due to his schedule conflicts w/ #NOPE!
It's official he's not in #BlackPantherWakandaForever
— ?Jacqueline? (@THATJacqueline) July 13, 2022
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is once again being directed by Ryan Coogler from a screenplay he is co-writing with Joe Robert Cole. It will see the return of most of its original main cast including Lupita Nyong’o as Nakia, Danai Gurira as Okoye, Angela Bassett as Ramonda, Martin Freeman as Everett K. Ross, Letitia Wright as Shuri, and Winston Duke as M’Baku.
In addition, Tenoch Huerta (Narcos: Mexico) has reportedly been cast as the upcoming film’s antagonist, with some fans and outlets speculating that he might be playing the role of Namor. I May Destroy You creator-star Michaela Coel has also reportedly signed on for an undisclosed role.
RELATED: Nope Featurette Teases Daniel Kaluuya & Keke Palmer’s Sibling Dynamic
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is currently slated to hit theaters on November 11, 2022, over two years following the untimely passing of titular star and acclaimed actor Chadwick Boseman, who died at the age of 43 after his four-year-long private battle with colon cancer.
