Daniel Kaluuya Not Returning for ‘Black Panther 2’
Milti-award-winning actor, Daniel Kaluuya will not be reprising his role in Marvel and Disney’s “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.”
In the first ‘Black Panther’ movie, Kaluuya played W’Kabi in 2018’s “Black Panther,” the best friend and confidant to T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman), and the head of security for the Border Tribe.
As reported by Variety, sources close to the project revealed that Kaluuya was asked to return, but had already committed to star in Jordan Peele’s upcoming horror film “Nope.”
It would be recalled that Kaluuya was Oscar-nominated for his starring role in Peele’s 2017 hit “Get Out.”
The news was first tweeted by Jacqueline Coley of Rotten Tomatoes.
Production on “Wakanda Forever,” directed by Ryan Coogler, wrapped in March, and the film is set to debut on Nov. 11.
Following the death of Boseman in 2020, Marvel decided not to recast the role of T’Challa. The sequel will instead explore other characters from the world of “Black Panther,” while also honoring the legacy Boseman left behind.
Though it had been confirmed that original film stars Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira, Martin Freeman, Letitia Wright, Winston Duke and Angela Bassett would return, Kaluuya’s status in the second film had been unclear until now.
