Daniel Kaluuya Not Returning for ‘Black Panther 2’

Daniel Kaluuya will not be reprising his role in Marvel and Disney’s “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” Variety has confirmed.

Kaluuya played W’Kabi in 2018’s “Black Panther,” the best friend and confidant to T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman), and the head of security for the Border Tribe.

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Sources close to the project tell Variety that Kaluuya was asked to return, but had already committed to star in Jordan Peele’s upcoming horror film “Nope.” Kaluuya was Oscar-nominated for his starring role in Peele’s 2017 hit “Get Out.”

Jacqueline Coley of Rotten Tomatoes first tweeted the news on Wednesday.

Production on “Wakanda Forever,” directed by Ryan Coogler, wrapped in March, and the film is set to debut on Nov. 11. Following the death of Boseman in 2020, Marvel decided not to recast the role of T’Challa. The sequel will instead explore other characters from the world of “Black Panther,” while also honoring the legacy Boseman left behind. Though it had been confirmed that original film stars Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira, Martin Freeman, Letitia Wright, Winston Duke and Angela Bassett would return, Kaluuya’s status in the second film had been unclear until now. “Wakanda Forever” also stars Dominique Thorne as a genius inventor, as well as Michaela Coel and Tenoch Huerta in undisclosed roles.

Kaluuya is currently gearing up for the release of “Nope” on July 22. The sci-fi horror film stars Kaluuya alongside Keke Palmer and Steven Yeun, and follows the residents of an isolated town who witness a mysterious event involving a UFO and set out to investigate it.

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