On August 28, US time, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige received an urgent email about Chadwick Bosman.
Unbeknownst to everyone else in Marvel Studios, the Black Panther star has been battling colon cancer for more than 4 years and is now suddenly getting sicker.
A source close to Bosman told The Hollywood Reporter that Bosman had noticeably become emaciated in recent months.
But until a week before his death, he was confident he would defeat cancer.
He also plans to regain his weight in time to prepare for the start of filming "Black Panther 2" in March 2021.
Now, Marvel Studios, while facing the loss of a good actor, has to face a very realistic economic reality -
That is, in the absence of a starring role, if the Black Panther series of movies continues to move forward.
In addition, considering that Black Panther is about to appear in many other Marvel movies, Bosman's death affects many plans for the future.
However, according to Disney sources, the company's focus at this stage is to mourn and pay tribute to Bosman, rather than making a sequel to "Black Panther".
Only a few non-family members know about Bosman's condition.
These include producer Logan Coles, agent Michael Green, trainer Addison Henderson and director Brian Herrgeland.
One source said Bosman wanted to keep his fight against cancer a secret.
Given that Bosman is the big protagonist of the indie series, the challenge for Disney will be unprecedented.
Most observers agree that Disney has several options.
One is to replace the actors, but this could provoke an outcry from fans and an inevitable comparison between the actors.
Even though Black Panther 2 is released in 2022, few actors are willing to take on this challenge because it has been difficult during the pandemic.
The second option may be more feasible, that is, to make the leopard sister Suri the new "Black Panther". This setting is also based on the plot of the manga.
But the biggest problem with this move is the entire audience market. In other words, the box office.
Regardless of the direction of the Black Panther series of movies in the end, Bosman's departure is sad and the impact is immeasurable.