Black Panther director Ryan Coogler reveals details of his final call with Chadwick Boseman before actor’s death-Rebecca Sayce-Entertainment – Metro

Ryan Coogler had a close bond with late Chadwick Boseman (Picture: Getty Images)

Black Panther director Ryan Coogler has revealed the details of his final call with Chadwick Boseman before his death.

The actor starred as the film’s titular character in the first installment of the franchise before his death aged 43 in 2020.

It came after being diagnosed with stage four colon cancer, for which he had privately been undergoing cancer treatment since 2016.

Marvel bosses decided that the much-loved star would not be recast in the upcoming Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, with producers instead making the sequel a tribute to Boseman and his character’s legacy within the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Director Ryan Coogler has recalled his final conversation with the star, who was expected to reprise his role for the sequel.

Speaking on Marvel’s official Black Panther podcast, Coogler revealed in a final call with Boseman, the actor had turned down reading the script for the second Black Panther film – and he soon learned the sad reason why.

Coogler spoke to Boseman before he died about the script for Black Panther 2 (Picture: Mike Marsland / WireImage)

‘I had just finished it [Black Panther 2 script]. My last conversation with him was calling him and asking if he wanted to read it before I got notes from the studio.

‘That was the last time we spoke, and he passed maybe a couple of weeks after I finished. […] He was tired, bro. I could tell he was tired.’

The director said he had tried to speak to Boseman for ‘a few days’ as he could tell ‘something was up’.

‘But he was joking and laughing, talking about how he was planning a wedding in South Carolina, talking about the people he was going to invite,’ he continued.

Chadwick starred as Black Panther in the first film of the franchise (Picture: AP)

Boseman told Coogler he didn’t want to read the script as he didn’t want to ‘get in the way’ of any notes the studio might have, but Coogler later found out it was because he was ‘too tired to read anything’.

The release of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is just around the corner, with Letitia Wright, Daniel Kaluuya, and Angela Bassett set to star in the eagerly-anticipated Marvel sequel.

Pop sensation Rihanna joined the cast for the star-studded premiere after it was confirmed she would be singing on the film’s soundtrack.

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is released in UK cinemas on November 11.

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