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‘Black Panther’ star Winston Duke on missing Chadwick Boseman in sequel: ‘It’s a gaping hole’

“Even though there are moments of deep joy and play, we still feel his presence missing,” Duke said Friday on the 3rd hour of TODAY.
/ Source: TODAY

The upcoming “Black Panther” sequel will carry on without star Chadwick Boseman, whose death still stings the film’s cast, says co-star Winston Duke.

“It’s a gaping hole that you feel every day, and no one is the same,” Duke said Friday on the 3rd hour of TODAY.

“So even though there are moments of deep joy and play, we still feel his presence missing. And in a large way, that’s really what we’re dealing with throughout the narrative. It’s something that I think you all will feel and get to engage with, and Disney, Marvel and all of us have really thrown a lot of integrity into this piece. So, I’m really excited for you guys to get to interact with it.”

Boseman died at the age of 43 in 2020 after he was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2016, sending shockwaves through Hollywood and among his fans.

Duke, who is continuing to dip his toes in the superhero genre by playing Bruce Wayne in Spotify’s new podcast, “Batman Unburied,” is expected to return for “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” reprising his role as M’Baku. He remains awed at how “Black Panther” has captivated so many people around the world.

“I always say that we walked into that project as actors and then we walked out of it ambassadors for Wakanda. We walked out of it, 'Wakanda forever.' It’s been something that’s the gift that keeps on giving. And it’s way bigger than just a role. It’s way bigger than just a story. It’s something that means a lot to people in their lives.”

Details about the upcoming film are being kept under wraps. When asked in March by Ellen DeGeneres if she could reveal any information about it, Angela Bassett responded, “Not one single thing,” although she did say the movie is expected to be released this November.

“It’s going to be amazing,” she added. “It’s going to top (the first) one.”