Chadwick Boseman's tragic ing in August.
Understandably, those involved with Black Panther 2 (such as Letitia Wright) know making the movie without Boseman would be strange, and don't want to think about doing so right now. Boseman's death is still fresh on everyone's minds as fans continue to mourn. Black Panther 2 was slated to begin production in March 2021, but it's unknown how Marvel will proceed. For now, the studio isn't making any changes to their release slate.
Disney recently altered their schedule, indefinitely delaying Free Guy and Death on the Nile. Per their latest official slate over the next eight years, Black Panther 2 remains in place for May 2022.
It's possible Disney left the Black Panther 2 release date untouched out of respect for Boseman, but it's notable it's still on their schedule. The studio is likely weighing their options in regards to the film, and are waiting until they've made a final decision before making an official announcement or removing Black Panther 2 from the calendar. While Boseman was synonymous with T'Challa, the Black Panther mantle has been taken up by other characters in the comics (such as Shuri), and the movies could follow suit. It will be impossible for Marvel to replace Boseman, though there are ways they can honor his tremendous legacy while continuing the Black Panther film franchise.
At a time when Marvel is trying to make strides in diversity on both sides of the camera, the Black Panther series is a very important property for the franchise. The original film was lauded for being a landmark work for onscreen representation and proved blockbusters led by an all-Black cast could break box office records. Black Panther further made history by becoming the first comic book adaptation to be nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars. It would be a shame if the Black Panther franchise ended now, but this is a very complicated situation. Marvel is undoubtedly aware how sensitive an issue this is and will consider everything before publicly revealing their plans.
Source: Disney
