Following the tragic death of Black Panther star Chadwick Boseman, the sequel to one of the MCU's most successful installments marches on. While we have no idea how the movie will deal with the actor's notable absence, returning star Lupita Nyong'o has provided some insight into director Ryan Coogler's approach for Black Panther 2.

"And his idea, the way which he has reshaped the second movie is so respectful of the loss we've all experienced as a cast and as a world. So it feels spiritually and emotionally correct to do this. And hopefully, what I do look forward to, is getting back together and honoring what he started with us and holding his light through it. Because he left us a lot of light that we're still going to be bathing in. I know that for sure."

Plans for Black Panther 2 were vastly changed following Chadwick Boseman's death, with Coogler having already revealed that he had written lines which we would now never hear the actor speak. Returning to film the follow-up will undoubtably be a daunting task for the cast and crew and is something which Nyong'o feels very apprehensive about.

"People will ask me, 'Are you excited to go back?' Excitement isn't the word. I feel like I'm in a very pensive and meditative state when it comes to Black Panther 2. His passing is still extremely raw for me. And I can't even begin to imagine what it will be like to step on set and not have him there... But at the same time we have a leader in Ryan, who feels very much like we do, who feels the loss in a very, very real way as well."

This is not the first time that Lupita Nyong'o, who will reprise the role of Nakia in the sequel, has teased the creative changes made by director Ryan Coogler in the wake of Boseman's passing. "It's gonna be different, of course, without our king, to go back into that world, but I know that all of us are dedicated to reimagining or carrying on his legacy in this new Black Panther," she said recently. "And [director] Ryan Coogler has some really, really exciting ideas that I look forward to bringing to life with the rest of the family."

Having quickly become synonymous with the Black Panther role, Chadwick Boseman sadly passed away on August 28 at the age of 43, after secretly battling colon cancer for the last four years. The actor had decided to keep his health issues a secret, even from the likes of Ryan Coogler and Marvel Studios. Very little is currently known about the direction of Black Panther 2, and while many initially wondered whether the role of T'Challa would be recast with another actor, or if Chadwick Boseman would feature using CGI, but Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige has since confirmed that neither of these options is being considered.

Paying respect to Boseman's legacy while also continuing the story of Black Panther will be no easy task, but if anyone can do it, it's Ryan Coogler, who recently declared that, despite work on the sequel being difficult, "You've got to keep going when you lose loved ones. I know Chad wouldn't have wanted us to stop." Black Panther 2 will begin filming this summer and is scheduled to be released in theaters on July 8, 2022. This comes to us from Yahoo.