Daniel Kaluuya did not officially return to the MCU for the second installment of the Black Panther series.
Disney completed production on Black Panther: Wakanda Forever with director Ryan Coogler in March, and plans to premiere the film later this November. Variety is now reporting that Kaluuya will not be returning to Black Panther 2 due to her previous commitment to Jordan Peele’s upcoming horror film Nope.
Following the death of titular actor Chadwick Boseman, Marvel decided not to recreate his T’Challa character, but to honor his legacy. The original film confirmed to rejoin the cast including Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira, Martin Freeman, Letitia Wright, Winston Duke and Angela Bassett.
Nope, set to hit theaters July 22, follows Kaluuya, along with Keke Palmer and Steven Yuen, following residents into an isolated town after a series of events involving alien life. Kaluuya’s relationship with Black Panther 2 has not been confirmed until now. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever hits theaters on November 11.